Out of the Blue
by OriginEternal
Summary: After a devastating breakup Elsa finds it difficult to drag herself out of the funk that she has been left in. One night at a party (that she reluctantly attends) sets in motion something that will change her life for the better. [Elsanna, unrelated. Modern AU. M for language and future situations]
1. Life After Love

Chapter One: Life After Love

 _Tic...tic...tic...tic...tic...tic..._

Staring blankly ahead, vision unfocused and chest tight, her eyes were fixed on the blinking cursor in front of her. The once pleasant ambiance that the computer screen cast now felt blinding as her eyes began to water. Seconds passed, then minutes before she finally slumped back in the leather computer chair, arms folding protectively across her chest, eyes never moving from the invasive message that burned into her screen.

 _'You have to come home sooner or later, honey. You can't avoid me forever, at least meet me for coffee so that we can talk things out. You're my world. - Aurora'_

Six months, three weeks, and five days had passed since things ended – more like crumbled, collapsed, imploded – with Aurora. _It was late that night too..._ she thought to herself _._

XXXXXXXX

"...yes, and don't forget the mountains that we talked about dearie. My wife and I got married just at the foot of the ones nearest the village. I want to remember, even when I forget I want it there so that I can remember." the voice came through the phone, the gentle quaver evident despite his best attempts to hide it.

Elsa smiled, her hands deftly dragging graphite across her sketch pad and adding further details for the elderly gentleman at the other end of the phone. "Of course Mr. Fredrickson, I'll do everything that I can to make this perfect for you. How about I give you a call when it's ready?"

"Please, please my dear." With a click the conversation was over.

She couldn't help but feel a gentle ache grow in her chest as she set her business phone back on the receiver. Carl was such a kind old man, but to lose his wife like this when his mind was in such a fragile state. Her heart went out to the kindly old man.

Having lost her parents years ago in climbing accident she could empathize with him on some level. Yet try as she might she couldn't imagine the type of feeling losing someone you loved, someone you chose to have in your life could bring to someone. The loss of family had been devastating enough, but this was on another level entirely.

The sun had begun to sink, painting the sky in her most favorite of ways. Her mind was able to escape the momentary sadness that she felt as she set up her easel.. Squirting paint out onto the pallete Elsa gave the blank canvas a thoughtful look. _I'll get the background done tonight, then the details tomorrow_ she told herself, knowing that the hour was growing late and that she really should be heading home soon.

Just as she was about to begin, a soft buzzing sounded from across the room. Setting down her still-clean brush and paint filled pallete she raced across the room. _Aurora, I should have known she'd be calling to check in with me soon._

"Hey honey-" she answered hastily, cut off quickly by a fiery voice on the other end.

"Why haven't you been answering?" Aurora hissed, clearly irate.

Elsa felt herself stiffen defensively. "I was on the line with a previous client, dear, he-"

"Oh a _'client.'_ " The emphasis made it clear how Aurora felt about the situation. "So busy that you can't spare your girlfriend some of your time?"

With a wince, she formed her answer. "Look, I'm just trying to take on enough work to be sure that we're taken care of dear. Besides, I enjoy the-" _Click, beep...beep...beep..._ "Painting."

A heavy sigh rose up from her chest as she put her fingers to her temples, rubbing gently as she ran over her options in her head. Go home and face the rage immediately or stay and start tackling some of the enormous pile of work that was scattered about her studio. Exasperatedly she came to the realization that Aurora would be upset either way, and so she returned to her easel.

Gently pressing a wide brush into the clear white paint she dragged it down, sure to spread it evenly on the brush bristles before it ever touched the canvas. The sound of the brush scratching against canvas as she coated it in the single color calmed her inner turmoil. Painting had always been a hobby of hers, despite her heavy workload she always found solace in the act of bringing forth a beautiful image from nothing.

Slowly but surely deep reds and tans formed out a dry, arid mountainscape. She couldn't recall what the name of the trees and brush that Mr. Fredrickson had described to her but she was sure to do exactly as he asked, placing a few about halfway into the painting. Lips pursed she stepped back, wiping her arm across her forehead before scrutinizing the landscape before her.

Certainly an interesting choice for a place to get married. Apparently the two, in their younger years, had been adventurers. Traveling the world and discovering new plants, new animals, villages and communities unseen and untouched by the modern world. The gentleman had told her so many vivid stories in their past meetings. When his wife, Ellie, was alive they had come as a couple so may times. Elsa had recreated vivid jungles and wild beasts (that she wasn't even sure really existed) more times than she could count. Yet now she was giving the man something less, and at the same time more happy than the previous commissions. She was giving him a memory that he could no longer hold or touch, but simultaneously something that could help him remember the happiest day of his life.

Satisfied with her work for the time being, she began cleaning up her brushes and her palette. When she was through, she picked up her phone and saw no further missed calls or messages. Groaning as she stretched her arms above her head she let her eyes close, surrendering herself to the stretch. Hours had passed as though they were just a few moments for her. The clock on the wall showed well past midnight. _I should head home. Aurora will enjoy the company, besides the couch here is just so uncomfortable._

Grabbing her keys and bag she walked to the door, shut off the lights, and locked up. The ride was short to their apartment. The parking lot was unusually full, but it was a weekend evening after all, she was certain there were parties or gatherings going on nearby so the inconvenience of the slightly longer walk hardly even registered in her mind. Her mind was focused on finding some way to make up for her absence.

Her key pressed into the lock slowly, the metal scraping quietly as she turned it and passed through the doorway. Muffled music greeted her ears as she closed the door _Must be the neighbors, they're always so loud._ Leaning against the couch, she kicked her shoes off and set her bag down as quietly as possible. Nudging her shoes out of the walkway she turned toward her bedroom and noticed a flickering light. _Aurora never falls asleep with the television on..._ Quiet footfalls sounded as she made her way to the room, turning the knob as quietly as possible so as not to disturb her if she was indeed sleeping.

The door swung open without a sound and her eyes widened at the scene before her. Candles flickered in a would-be romantic way, the gentle music turned out to have been emanating from the room. Her heart would have filled with love and adoration if only the final details hadn't been so painful. At the end of the bed, _their_ bed, knelt what could only be Aurora, golden locks tied back in a loose, messy ponytail, head tucked snugly between the widespread legs of another young woman.

The scene was like something out of a bad porno. The dark haired girl laying in her bed barely registered at first. However the longer she stood there, mouth open in a silent protest, watching the sheets crumple between the girl's hands as her hips arched up into Aurora the more familiar she became. Elsa knew her face.

"Mulan?" Elsa choked out, feeling faint as she leaned against the door for support.

Mulan shot up, shoving Aurora away as her terrified gaze locked on Elsa standing in the doorway. "Shit, shit, shit..." she muttered, "Look, Els, I-"

Elsa slowly lifted a hand, looking dazed and confused as she felt a familiar burning at the back of her eyes. "Please, I...I think you should just go." she said, barely speaking above a whisper. Mulan slid off the bed and grabbed her clothes, hastily getting dressed as she brushed past Elsa, muttering quiet apologies and curses the whole time. Aurora had hardly moved, merely pressing her face into the mattress as though somehow this would be enough to prevent Elsa from being upset.

The quiet sound of the door clicking shut was like the final crack in a dam, Elsa finally broke. Tears streamed silently as she stood, shoulders shaking in quiet sobs. Aurora had finally stood and pulled a t-shirt over herself, her lips and chin still glistening in the candlelight with proof of her betrayal.

"Look, Elsa, what was I supposed to do?" Aurora's voice began quiet, but it was clear that it would crescendo as she continued, "You're never home anymore! You're working all the time and you expect me to just wait for you? I have _needs_! She's always been here for both of us, you can't possibly blame me." She was practically shouting.

The words cut deeply. Her chest and limbs felt like lead, both tingling with some unfamiliar burning feeling. She could taste acid rising in the back of her throat. " _Needs_?" Elsa breathed, quiet voice shaking, "How can you say that? How could you do this? She's our _friend_!" she whimpered, eyes taking in the woman before her, hickeys becoming visible on her breasts and neck as her eyes adjusted to the candlelight, judging by the color of some of them this had been going on for some time.

Aurora huffed and threw her hands in the air, face red "You're awful. You act like you're the only one hurting here. Like I don't hurt too."

Rage welled in her, or was it fear? She could no longer differentiate. "I can't do this. I can't." Elsa moved to the closet, avoiding further eye contact with Aurora and grabbing a duffel bag, stuffing everything she owned into it. Aurora grabbed her arm and tried to twist her back to face her.

"What are you doing Elsa? You can't leave." she huffed, squeezing harder as Elsa struggled against her.

"Let it go." Elsa hissed quietly as she let herself be turned around at last, bag hastily packed and partially zipped. Pulling the bag over her shoulder she continued, "Just don't."

The room fell silent as the grip on her arm loosened, she shuffled through clothing and didn't bother trying to keep things neat. Why should she? What would Aurora care at this point? Her tears had finally dried as she stuffed her last hoodie into her bag and shoved her arm into it as she attempted to correctly zip the bulging duffel, sniffling quietly in the post cry calm.

Swallowing hard she hefted the bag onto her shoulder and turned quickly to face Aurora – best to get out quickly before she broke down again. Their eyes met and Elsa could see no remorse, she couldn't determine if this was cause to be more or less upset until Aurora finally spoke again. "You won't leave me, not for long..."

That was the final straw. Elsa turned on her heels and fled the room, the back of her throat burning as she forced the sobs back inside. _Don't let her see you cry, conceal it._ With a click of the lock and a faint jingle as she dropped the apartment key through the mail slot she was off into the night, almost hoping that she never saw Aurora again.

XXXXXXXX

Finally, she leaned forward and her hand sat at the top of her laptop, hovering there just a moment before she lowered the screen and closed it. There were no words that she could give Aurora that would even remotely express the whirlwind of emotion that was building inside of her. There had certainly been something there, something new and unusual, but looking back she wondered if it had ever been real. _Did I romanticize the relationship because she was the first person to reciprocate my feelings?_

She raised the heels of her hands to her eyes and rubbed gently, as though the action would help clear her mind of the voices that couldn't seem to decide if she was right or wrong in her desire to put off the response. Things hadn't always been bad, after all. When they had first found one another Aurora and Elsa had been the ideal couple, at least in her eyes. They had been friends for as long as she could remember and then one night something just changed. Underage and a little tipsy they had shared a tender kiss, sparking something that would open the two previously 'straight' young girls to an entirely new world.

 _She was my first._ She thought to herself, standing now and pacing the room as she continued to reminisce. The memory of 'us' was a hard one to ignore, despite no longer feeling so alone. In the months following the breakup Elsa had located a new apartment, she had promised herself that she would not reach out to Aurora again, how could she after what happened?

Bitterness crept into her rose-colored memories, tainting every positive thing with the black, sticky tar of doubt and jealousy. Had there ever actually been any love from Aurora, real and true love for Elsa? Or had it all been a twisted experiment for Aurora to be certain that she was, indeed, into women? Had everything that Elsa had come to rely on and believe to be true about relationships been a lie? Her heart ached in her chest, her mind racing with memories that grew more increasingly vivid by the moment.

"I have to get out of here." she groaned, letting her hand drop back to her side as her head rolled forward, eyes shut for a long moment before she pulled her cell phone out and began dialing. She hadn't even needed to check her contacts for the number, she knew it by heart. The line began to ring and a kind voice answered, "Hey Els, what can I do for you?"

Elsa sighed, almost happily, "I'm glad you're available. Can I stay with you tonight?"


	2. Right on Time

Chapter Two: Right on Time

Anna grumbled audibly as she paced the floor. Minutes had dragged on as she awaited the return of her friend, Snow. _Come on, you'll be late to host your own party_ she thought anxiously, pulling out her phone every few moments to be sure that they had even a sliver of time to prepare. Snow had called her nearly two hours before in a massive panic – she'd conveniently 'forgotten' to get any party supplies and the day of her birthday celebration was upon her, she hadn't even begun setting anything up!

Being the kind and gullible soul she was, Anna had slipped into a comfortable pair of jeans and her favorite red tee and raced to Snow's aid. She'd only had a mere moment with her friend before she was left alone to 'rearrange things' as Snow had put it. It had taken a brief fifteen minutes for our 'hero' to move furniture into a configuration that would be most appropriate for a party. Any unnecessary seating had been moved to the side of the room to allow plentiful space for walking and mingling. Fragile and more costly things were moved to more safe areas, ones that would offer less of an opportunity for them to be broken, or worse.

Anna had planned for most any situation that could arise and was hopeful that Snow would approve of the arrangements that she had made – if she ever returned that is. Anna brought both hands to her head and gently rubbed her temples, willing the stress of the whole situation away. "How do I _always_ get roped into these th-" she began, her words cut off by the sound of a door knob turning and the door itself swinging inward on it's hinges to strike the stopper with a loud _bang_.

Nearly leaping out of her skin Anna whipped around to see Snow accompanied by a few young gentlemen in the doorway. "I found some more help!" Snow chirped happily, her rosy cheeks practically glowing with pride.

Anna rushed to her side and started grabbing bags from Snow's overburdened arms and as inconspicuously as she was able to whispered "Do you know these people?" With a wink and a cheshire grin Snow shook her head as they trailed in, seven young men in all, each loaded to the brim with bags upon bags of supplies.

Moments passed with Anna growing more anxious as each new stranger passed through the doorway. As the final stranger crossed the threshold Anna finally cracked, dropping her bags to the floor and raising her hands in a 'stop' motion to them and shaking her head, "Listen up, we appreciate the help but we don't know you. You can't hang out here." Anna said, attempting to be gentle despite her rising stress level. Surprisingly most of them got the hint and in fact, seemed oddly happy to have simply helped out her friend. One, however, had a rather grumpy looking face and seemed as though he had something to say. Red and round with a nose too large for his bearded face he stood perfectly still in the doorway. "Didn't you hear me?" Anna re-iterated. "Get moving, buddy." The man's face visibly reddened as he uttered a shockingly sweet farewell to the two women before exiting the home as well. All seven young men waved to Snow as Anna exasperatedly let the door click shut, sure to lock it afterward.

"Snow, you can't just invite strangers into your home!" she chided, the displeasure clear in her voice. "They could have been murderers or have planned to overpower your or, or-"

"Oh, honey, I never intended to let them stay. You know I like the attention." The southern drawl in Snow's voice peeking through her sweet reassurance.

Anna grinned, "That'll never change. You're practically a brick of pheromones, when we find someone who can resist you I'll drop dead on the spot."

Snow chuckled, the sound light and airy as she stacked bottles in her arms, carrying them to her refrigerator with practiced ease. Anna was surprised at the amount of alcohol she had returned with, but only slightly. The number of times that one of Snow's 'small get togethers' had turned into a raucous drinking fest of Dionysian levels was beyond counting at this point and she was betting heavily that tonight would chalk another mark up for the rowdy party score.

"How much time is left?" Anna questioned, unceremoniously dumping bags of snacks and red plastic cups onto the counter. "I thought maybe I'd have time to run home and change before things got started here..."

"Relax, sugar, no one ever shows up on time to a party! There will be plenty of time."

The words were hardly enough to soothe Anna's worry, but she continued assisting nonetheless. Cups here, snacks there, alcohol...well, it didn't really matter where it started out, it would all end up being found one way or another. Anna had learned early on that, when drunk, their friends were like alcohol sniffing bloodhounds. No rum was safe, no vodka would go un-found.

Half an hour later and the redhead was standing awkwardly atop a chair that Snow held steady, reaching her arms out as she carefully extended to her tip toes. With a small grunt she pushed the tack into the wall as close to the molding as she was able to. Turning back to Snow with a smile, she felt crushed as her friend started to laugh almost hysterically. Her brows furrowed as she turned around, only to realize that this section of the streamers was significantly lower than the rest.

Frustrated, her cheeks flushed lightly, "Hey, I'm doing the best I can with the height I was given!" Unbidden, a lopsided grin made it's way onto her face, pulling one side of her mouth upward. "It's staying like that, I'm not getting up there again!" she added for good measure as she dismounted the chair.

Pulling out her phone Anna sighed, a hand coming up to wipe the sweat that had formed away. "You know, you're lucky that I love you so much." Walking back toward the kitchen she stopped in the doorway, admiring their handiwork. Streamers had been hung (albeit poorly), mixers were chilling in coolers of ice that had been strategically set out, cups and snacks were plentiful. All that remained was changing into more party appropriate garb and Anna would feel completely satisfied. "I think you can handle not destroying the place in my absence, oh great and powerful birthday girl."

Snow rolled her eyes and waved a hand as she slumped into a bar stool that had been pushed into a corner of the kitchen, "Go on, get yourself pretty. Who knows, maybe tonight you'll actually speak with your friends rather than being a lone wolf."

The jab was deserved and Anna sheepishly smiled as she waved goodbye, shutting the door behind her.

XXXXXXXX

Anna had slumped into her bed the moment that she arrived home, promising herself just a few moment's respite after the daunting task of last minute party preparations. _I'll never know how Snow does this so frequently_. An arm rose and draped over her eyes, soothing the dull ache that had begun forming before she had even left her friend's home. Her mind was peacefully blank, her breathing slowing as she lay in the stillness. _Just a few more minutes, then I'll get up and change..._

When Anna finally rose from her moments rest the sun had set and a slimy trail of drool had made it's way down her chin and onto her pillowcase, staining the previously light blue fabric a much darker shade. "Shit!" Anna leaped from her bed and rushed to the bathroom mirror, taking in her disheveled appearance with a slightly open mouth. _No, no, no! I can't be late for this after making such a big deal about the set up!_ Frantically she ran a brush through her now tangled locks and her nimble fingers twisted and looped her hair into twin braids. It would have to do.

A splash of water on her face and a quick brush of her teeth and she dashed back into her room, throwing the closet door open. Teal eyes darted left and right as she mentally attempted to put together an outfit that would at least be halfway decent for the occasion. _What am I thinking, no one is going to be too sober enough to care anyway._ She grabbed a dark pair of jeans and her favorite blue tee and changed quickly, nearly falling to the side as she attempted to tug her pants up before her foot was completely through the leg. _Damn it, universe! Just let me get there in time to not be the last one in!_

Within minutes she was out the door, her car engine roaring to life in the night as she reversed out of the parking lot. Tires screeched as she pressed the gas a little harder than she anticipated. Rolling to a stop at the first intersection she took a moment to calm herself down. Snow certainly wouldn't care if she was late, but the thought of walking into a room already full of people made Anna just a tad queasy. Parties were easy enough but being there within the first few arrivals was certainly much simpler than having to push your way through a crowd of drunken party-goers.

The sound of her tires against the less than smooth road had begun to grate against her nerves just a few minutes into her trip, but she refused to turn the radio on for such a quick trip. Rounding a corner she gasped rather loudly (and perhaps a little unnecessarily) and pressed hard on her brakes - a bright red car had stalled off to the side of the road just around the bend. _I'm nearly stopped already I may as well make sure they're okay..._ Anna eased her car to the side of the road and pulled up just behind the vehicle being sure to leave her headlights on, lateness had been pushed to the back of her mind.

More timidly than she might normally Anna opened her door and approached the vehicle slowly. She swallowed hard as her mind played out multiple ways this scenario could possibly end. Best case scenario it would be a kindly stranger and she would help them with what she could and be on her way. Worst case scenario, well, serial killer, rapist, some kind of horrible serial killer rapist combination. The possibilities were endless. Gravel crunched beneath her feet as she continued with slow and calculated steps.

"Is-...is everything okay here?" She called out, pausing her movements and anchoring her feet to the spot.

In the distance an owl hooted, the sound deep and eerie to her ears as it echoed in the quiet night. Following the hoot and it's accompanying echo came rustling from the underbrush nearby. Her mind has resolved to not take another step further, there was too much going on for her to feel like she would be safe. It was too much like the beginning of a horror film for her liking.

But after a few moments passed with no response from the occupant of the vehicle her body began to rebel against her common sense. _Crunch... crunch.. crunch..._ the gravel seemed to scream in the night with each step. _It's good that I stopped, they're probably hurt. Maybe they passed out or something. How else could anyone not hear me coming?_ A hand reached out and touched the back of the car, as though physically touching the vehicle would somehow calm the roiling storm of worry within her. _I can do this, I can definitely do this. Why stop if I'm not going to follow through?_ Eyes wide, she mentally berated herself as she took another step, glancing in the open window at an angle to see a figure sitting in the front seat. _This is it, this is how I die._

"Look, are you alright?" At the last word her voice quavered slightly, so much for appearing confident. That's what you needed to do in this situation, right? Make yourself look big and give off an air of confidence? Or was that for bears? No response from the mystery person. Swallowing hard, Anna stepped into the line of sight of the open window just as the person inside began to react. She jumped back and tensed, a hand clutching her chest in fright as the door of the vehicle swung wide open, a hooded figure slipping from the vehicle in silence and taking a step towards her.

"Anna?" Raising her hands to her ears the stranger tugged headphones out and smiled, a brow raised at Anna's impression of a deer very literally standing in the headlights. "Anna, it is you! Fantastic! I was hoping someone would pass by and stop for me, I'm just glad it's you and not some sleazy jerk. Looks like I should have had that 'check engine' light looked at after all!" The strangers hands raised again and lowered her hood at last, chestnut hair cascading well past her shoulders.

Anna unfroze and shook her head, bewildered but obviously pleased that of all the people to have run into on the side of the road it would be Megara. "Are you on your way to Snow's too?" Anna finally manged to say, her body relaxing now that she knew she wouldn't be on the next episode of some cheesy series about mass murderers.

"Where else would I be headed to in this direction? You know her neighborhood is too rich for my blood!"

The two shared a small laugh at the jape and Anna suddenly found herself feeling simultaneously disturbed and impolite, an odd combination to be sure. "I want to invite you into my car but first I've got to ask - are you out of your _mind_?" Anna could have very easily been mistaken for an angry mother chiding a young child for staying out too late on a school night, "You can't just sit on the side of the road with your _windows_ down and wearing _headphones_! Someone could have _abducted_ you or, or-"

Meg's mouth twisted as she fought back a grin, but the urge to laugh was too strong. Bubbly laughter soon rang out in the otherwise quiet night air, "Have you been watching those crime documentaries again? I thought we had an intervention a few months ago." she said in a mock serious tone. Meg couldn't hold the serious expression for long though and her mouth soon turned upward in a smile again as Anna struggled for an answer. "Come on mother, we've got somewhere to be. Or would you rather miss out to stay here on this creepy stretch of road and lecture me?"

At a loss for words Anna finally turned her back, halfheartedly waving a hand in a 'come on' motion back at Meg. Anna was in the drivers seat of her car by the time Meg had finished rolling her window up, the sound of her car lock chirping in the night made Anna jump. Meg grinned as she opened the passenger door and flopped into the seat. "Seatbelt." Anna said, her request was met with a short exhale followed by a click.

"Happy?" Meg huffed. With a nod Anna happily shifted gears and pulled them back onto the road.

"Hey..." Meg began fiddling with the radio, settling finally on a rock station before she continued, "Thanks. I know I gave you a hard time but I really do appreciate it."

Anna took a hand off the wheel and waved it dismissively before returning it. "Don't worry about it, I'm just lucky it was you and not some-"

"Don't!" Meg interjected with a laugh, "I know what you were thinking, you've got to chill out with your wild imagination. Not everyone ends up a damsel in distress, you know."

"Oh geez..." Anna muttered as they approached Snow's home. The streets were lined with cars as far as the eye could see, the driveway full. "I can let you out at the door." she suggested, turning her head to see Meg's reaction.

"Really, you'd expect me to let you walk? The queen of worry wants to walk _alone_ at _night_?" Meg teased, her hands raising to the sides of her face as she mustered her best look of terror. Anna glowered in return, not bothering to voice an argument – it would fall on deaf ears anyway.

The walk was relatively short considering how far they had parked, but the pair was at the door in what seemed like no time. Anna raised her arm to knock but Meg scoffed at her and swung the door wide open, clearly excited to have arrived in the middle of the party. "Now the party can start!" she hollered over the crowd, gaining quite a few cheers from their already marinated friends.

An arm wrapped around Anna and she was immediately hit by the scent of alcohol as Snow shook her lightly, "You took my words to heart I see!" she slurred, "Arriving fashionably late and with a _lady_ at your side no less!"

Anna stiffened slightly under Snow's drunken embrace and gently pried her friend's arm from around her neck, "If you hadn't worn me out earlier I'd have been here on time, thank you very much." Meg snickered at the comment, earning a solid glare from Anna, "You know that's not what I meant!" Anna hissed, rolling her eyes and throwing her hands in the air. "I think I need a drink." she added, bringing her hand up to her forehead.

In unison Meg and Snow grinned and shouted, "Shots!"

With a grimace, Anna forced herself to look into the crowd and soak in the inevitable fate she was faced with – she was certain that in less than an hour's time she would be just as obnoxious as the rest of the drunken crowd whether she wanted to be or not. As she scanned, her eyes settled on an unfamiliar figure and her heart skipped a beat..this was bound to be an interesting night.

 _ **a/n: Just dropping a quick note to let you know that I will attempt to upload biweekly, but if I finish a chapter early you may get weekly updates (it all depends on my work schedule). I hope you're enjoying it so far!**_


	3. Tomorrow Will Be Kinder

Chapter Three: Tomorrow Will Be Kinder

Elsa's eyes fluttered open as light streamed through the familiar window. Gently she removed herself from under the slender arm of the dark haired young lady that lay next to her. Leaving the cocoon of warmth that the pair had formed she stood and peeked through the window, eyes narrowing to protect herself from the rays of sunlight that had just begun to creep over the horizon. A small smile graced her lips as a tiny gray bird flitted from branch to branch as though looking for somewhere comfortable to rest for a while.

As her eyes adjusted she crossed her arms over her stomach and took in the beautiful colors that painted the morning sky. Dawn was so different from dusk, the colors were brighter, more hopeful, she felt. Something about watching the sun rise and stain the sky was much more calming than at dusk these days. _Both are beautiful though_. Her hand rose to cover her mouth momentarily as she stifled a laugh. The little bird had picked the wrong branch and it snapped beneath his spindly legs, sending him into a fit of frantic flapping as he rose back up to a more stable branch.

His white belly flashed as he struggled, but as he settled she noticed that the gray feathers atop his body hid the white fairly well. Above his gray beak was a small splotch of black feathers. It was as though the bird had stuck his face into something he shouldn't have and had gotten dirty. A little tuft of ruffled black feathers atop his tiny head almost gave him an expression of urgency, something the small black eyes couldn't communicate on their own at this distance. Moments later he fled the tree and flitted down the street to an otherwise unoccupied feeder and taking his fill. Elsa found herself wondering offhand how the birds stayed warm when winter was in full swing...

"Come back to bed." The words were sleepily mumbled from beneath a mass of black curls.

Elsa peeled her eyes away from the outside world and turned around to take in the sight before her. Her companion was nestled in the royal purple sheets that covered the queen sized bed, it would have afforded the pair plenty of space the night before if they hadn't been wrapped up in an embrace. It had been quite some time since Elsa had cried so hard that she ended up crying herself to sleep, but last night certainly hadn't been the first time and it likely wouldn't be the last.

Elsa had been so composed when she arrived, blue eyes bright and her body language conveying, or attempting to convey, happiness. As soon as the door had shut behind her though the dreaded question had come, 'What's wrong?' The two small words broke her illusion, shattering her into a million tiny shards as she rushed into the arms of her friend.

She didn't remember it happening, but at some point she had been moved to the bed so her wobbly legs wouldn't give out beneath her as she sobbed. She was pulled into a tight hug as they lay together and gladly surrendered into it. Wrapping her own arms tightly around the woman in response Elsa clung tightly until eventually the tears stopped and her grip weakened as she slipped into a fitful sleep.

"The sun is awake, we should be up already." Elsa said gently, returning to the firm mattress and seating herself at the edge.

A hand slipped out from beneath the blankets and felt around for what Elsa could only assume was her hand. Elsa took pity on her and slid her hand closer. As their hands met, their fingers intertwined and she couldn't help but notice that the difference in their skin tone. Her own hand was pale as milk against the tawny brown flesh pressed into it - the sight was almost laughable.

 _I'll have to get some sun at some point_. She'd been telling herself that for years, but she was likely to become translucent the longer that she continued to sequester herself from the outside world. _It'll be hard, but I'll have to force myself to start socializing more._ The very idea caused a lump to form in her throat. _Will anyone even want to be around me or will they all have taken her side?_

"You were talking in your sleep again." The sleepy voice struggled to stifle a yawn, the attempt was valiant but ultimately unsuccessful.

"Probably speaking my praise for you, my dreams give me the courage to say what I cannot while looking into your eyes." Elsa teased, giving her companion's hand a light squeeze.

Esmeralda pushed herself up on one arm, brushing her thick curls from her face with the other. One eyebrow was raised and her mouth was nearly diagonal – she was clearly not amused. "Flatterer. I know you too well for this ruse to work on me."

Elsa scoffed, rolling her eyes as she stood up and crossed the short distance back to the window. _Perhaps the sunlight will keep her at bay_ she thought to herself, shaking her head at her own idiocy. Her friend was tired, but she certainly wasn't a vampire.

"Don't be too down on yourself about it," Esmeralda continued, "You could have any other girl eating out of the palm of your hands with that shtick, but you choose to use those cheesy lines on me. You know, I've heard plenty of the girls talking about you. You play too hard to get!"

Elsa whirled around, exaggerating a mock bow as she stood before the bed "Ah, but I only want you my dark haired temptress." She raised her head at the last few words and winked at Esmeralda, who promptly greeted her face with a pillow, tossed hard. Elsa quickly returned the volley and took a few steps back, preparing herself for any further attacks.

"So, are you going to tell me what was so urgent that you felt the need to invade my bed?"

There it was, a single playful jab and it was flooding back in all at once. The serene room had now become a cage, and she a helpless animal backed into a corner. Her lips tightened as she crossed her arms over her chest as though it would somehow protect her from the feelings that were building inside, a figurative hand of ice clutching at her heart and sending a chill through her chest as she made herself remember to breathe.

"I heard you say a name - her name..." Esmeralda began, more timidly than Elsa might have expected her to. Clearly she had already thought this through, likely she was awake well after Elsa had fallen asleep considering the possibilities. "Aurora, I mean. You're not-"

"No!" Elsa interjected, "No, no, we're not...no."

The bed springs creaked ever so slightly as Esmeralda finally mustered the strength and rose from the bed, approaching Elsa as though she might be a feral beast ready to explode out of fear or primal rage. She knew it was unlikely that Elsa would snap at her but it was best to be gentle in these situations. Her emerald eyes shone with concern as she reached out and rested a hand on Elsa's arm.

"She reached out to me. It was an e-mail. She wants to have coffee. To...to talk. About what happened." The words tasted sour as they rose from her throat, her short sentences only further attesting to her frazzled mental state. It felt wrong to even be contemplating the idea of meeting up with her ex and she could tell by her companion's narrowed gaze that she didn't appreciate the idea either. "Look, I wasn't going to-"

"Hey, not my call! Go if you want. God, that girl's a witch though. You should have known her when she was younger." With a wave of her hand, Esmeralda seemed to dismiss the idea, but not a moment later she continued. "Look, like I said there are plenty of people interested in you. You just have to turn on some of this charm around them and they'll be following you around like ducklings." The girl mumbled something else at the end of her sentence and Elsa only managed to catch a snippet. Something about 'harlot' and 'never see her again.'

Though the words were encouraging, Elsa's body only seemed to tense further the longer she stood in contemplation. If she didn't eventually agree to meet with Aurora then there would likely never be any closure for her. Going, however, could lure her back in to the same old _thing_ that had caused her so much grief and heartache in the first place. Doomed if she did, doomed if she didn't. _Can I live with never knowing what she's got to say?_

Almost as if she could read Elsa's thoughts, Esmeralda took a step closer and wrapped her arms around the blonde, pulling her into a warm hug. Elsa buried her face in Esmeralda's shoulder, she could still smell honey scented shampoo on her hair from the night before. Enveloped in her arms Elsa began to feel safe again. "Thank you." she finally whispered, "I appreciate it but...I just don't know." She could feel her friend tense against her, obviously unhappy with the response that she had received but not saying anything further on the matter. "How about I take you out for breakfast, as a thank you for letting me intrude on you so late?"

XXXXXXXX

Oaken's was bustling at this hour, the two girls had hastily dressed and raced over in hopes of snagging something good before the store was cleaned out. Lucky for them, they had arrived early enough to get their pastry of choice, a very oversized chocolate cinnamon roll. The roll itself was far larger than either could eat alone (though that hadn't stopped them from trying on many occasions) but as a pair they could generally tackle it with little issue. After placing their order the pair sat and waited impatiently for a few moments before a burly, bearded man strolled from behind the counter and set the plate before them, smiling cheerily as the two girls immediately began digging in.

"You know" Esmeralda began, dabbing at the corner of her mouth with a napkin to clean up some stray crumbs, "We haven't been out like this in a while. It's nice."

Elsa paused, fork midway between the plate and her mouth. Brows furrowing slightly at the thought, she set her fork back down with a _clink_ and looked up at Esmeralda who was now leaning back in her chair with a pensive look on her face. Clearing her throat Elsa leaned forward and crossed her arms over the top of the table.

"I haven't been a very good friend lately, I know. I apologize, Esmeralda. Even yesterday I just - I called you after not speaking to you in weeks and you..." Elsa's expression fell, her eyes closed as she sighed, "You're just really great, that's all I'm trying to say."

Esmeralda smirked and Elsa heard a small exhale of breath before her companion leaned forward too, nudging the plate aside and placing a hand on hers, squeezing gently. "Don't worry about it. I'll be here for you whenever you need me." she said with a sweet smile, "Hell, I'll be here when you don't need me too, just in case."

Pulling her hand away she laughed, the sound thick with something akin to disgust. Bringing her fork up she took another bite. "Everyone leaves eventually." she sighed, wiping a stray drop of sugary cinnamon syrup from her mouth.

Esmeralda scooted her chair closer and lowered her voice, though the idea of them being overheard in the bustling cafe was almost laughable. "Elsa, you're too good a person to believe that. I've known you for a while now, maybe I didn't know you so well before all this but I know who you are now. You're not the kind of person to really believe that one person can stop you from loving forever."

"My heart felt like ice for weeks afterward, like it was trapped in this block of frozen _mess_ that had invaded my chest. How can I possibly let that happen again? How can I just _trust_ someone again when-"

"When?" Esmeralda interrupted, looking rather cross. "When what, Elsa? You can't possibly suggest that you expect everyone you start to feel for to betray you. You just can't."

Looking rather flustered at being so clearly called out on her negativity Elsa forced a nod, she didn't entirely agree with what was said but she could tell that she was grating on a sore nerve. "I guess I can see your point." Her voice was flat, and following the short statement was a painfully awkward silence.

"Look," Esmeralda finally said, "I'm going out to a party tonight. Why not come with me, we'll take your mind off this whole...thing. Even if it's just for the night."

The invitation was sudden and almost uncalled for, the conversation wasn't even remotely steered in that direction. Clearly Esmeralda wanted to move on from the topic and Elsa was feeling nothing if not compliant at the moment – how could she not be when Esmeralda had already been so incredibly kind to her? Thoughts whirled in her mind as she debated the possibilities, if Esmeralda was gone for the night she would be left to return to her own home, alone. Memories would swim into her mind, thoughts that were along the lines that Esmeralda seemed to want to avoid speaking of and Elsa would rather not linger on any longer than necessary.

Looking to the table, Elsa finally nodded after the extended pause. "Alright. But don't expect me to be ecstatic about it."

XXXXXXXX

Elsa groaned as she leaned heavily against the back of the bench she had occupied for what felt like an eternity. "Come on, parade the next outfit already I think I'm losing the feeling in my ass!" Elsa whined loudly. After breakfast Elsa had been all but dragged out to her least favorite place – a shopping mall. She could hear Esmeralda shuffling loudly through the armful of clothing she had brought into the dressing room, a silent indicator that she planned on taking her sweet time.

She was seated on a white, obnoxiously over cushioned bench across from a row of dressing rooms. Surprisingly enough the crowds hadn't been too overwhelming, only slightly more than half of the doors were sealed as their occupants also debated on their outfits for whatever occasion they might be attending soon. Elsa imagined a grand gala for a woman in her late 50's with an armful of shimmery dresses. A young girl about their age with a stack of black clothing Elsa pictured moshing in a crowd at a rock concert. The image of a small school dance flashed before her eyes as a teenager timidly exited a dressing room for her mother who looked fondly at her daughter through misty eyes. Yet as she watched each person enter and exit, some parading their outfits for others and some simply exiting with fewer items than they entered with, she couldn't help but wonder what could possibly be taking so long.

The lock on the changing room finally clicked and the door flung open as Esmeralda pranced out wearing a pair of purple skinny jeans and a flowy three-quarter sleeved white shirt. A quick three hundred sixty degree turn showed off the outfit and she looked at Elsa expectantly. "Well?" Her face was split by an open mouthed grin, clearly pleased with her own decision.

Elsa pushed herself off the bench and to her feet, bringing her hand to her chin to give a mock contemplative expression as she walked a slow circle around the woman before her. The jeans were tight, as they should have been, and they worked very well on Esmeralda's curvy figure. Her hips were hugged by the fabric, her toned calves were pronounced, even her rear was accentuated in the jeans. The shirt was loose and low cut, though not too much so. Just enough cleavage to attract attention. Her feet were clad in a dark pair of leather thigh high boots with a small heel. Overall the outfit she had put together looked quite fitting on her.

Elsa hummed softly and looked her over top to bottom as she came back to her original spot, finally giving an exaggerated nod "I think this is the one."

Esmeralda smirked and poked at Elsa's shoulder with a single finger, once, twice, and then a third time as she spoke "You're just saying that because you're ready to get out of here."

"Can you blame me?" Elsa said with a cheeky smile, "All joking aside, you look wonderful."

She watched as her friend turned around and re-entered the dressing room and emerged moments later with the final outfit she had tried on over one arm and a box undoubtedly containing the boots under her other arm. Clearly pleased with herself she strode right past Elsa and to the check out counter. Elsa sighed with relief, _Finally._

The pair exited the mall and the sun was creeping slowly toward the horizon. Sunset would be in a few hours now and the party would be starting soon after Elsa imagined. Sunlight beat down upon them as they crossed the emptying parking lot and Elsa found herself thankful for the late hour. Perhaps it was a blessing that Esmeralda had taken so long to come to a decision, now they were able to walk across the lot without having to dodge between drivers that were too eager to return to their homes.

"So, you refused to buy anything." Esmeralda said pointedly, "Are you planning on going in _that_?"

Elsa brought a hand to the hem of her tee and pulled it out slightly to inspect it, it was only slightly faded and the hem had barely started to fray. Her eyes then trailed down her dark jeans (these only had one hole near the knee of the right leg) and stopped on her tattered sneakers before she directed them to Esmeralda. "Why not?"

"Oh Els...no hun, we'll get you to your place and-"

"No!" Elsa interjected quickly, her face heating slightly as she exposed just how displeased she was with the idea of going back to her own place so soon.

"Then my closet it is!" Esmeralda chirped in response, a rather sly grin appearing on her face.

Elsa wouldn't be the least bit surprised if this had been the plan all along. Esmeralda knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't want to blow a lot of money on an outfit just for a party, _and_ that she wouldn't have brought much more with her in the way of 'outfits' than a few pairs of old jeans, some tee shirts, and whatever sneakers she had happened walk out the door with the night before. _I forgot just how calculating she was_ Elsa thought wryly.

Half an hour later and Elsa felt as though she had descended into a level of hell that had been tailored specifically for her. Esmeralda had only a few inches on her and clearly saw no reason for that to discourage her from sharing her clothes. "How long do we have to carry on this _charade_?" Elsa groaned, no longer even bothering to leave the room as she peeled off a set of skin tight leggings and tossed them aside.

"Come on, last one, I promise. Then we'll make a decision." Esmeralda's voice was practically dripping with enjoyment, she clearly took pleasure in making Elsa suffer the seemingly unbearable task of trying on anything and everything that she thought might suit her.

Heaving a defeated sigh Elsa grabbed the armful of clothing without even looking and Esmeralda turned away politely as she began to pull apart the layers of the outfit to try on. _Oh goody, another pair of these_ awful _skinny jeans._ Perhaps she shouldn't have been so bitter about the clothing options, after all she had been spared returning to her home for the time being because of this small kindness.

Begrudgingly slipping her legs into the inky black fabric she tugged them upward and around her hips before buttoning and zipping them. They were a tad long for her but she didn't doubt that Esmeralda would happily fix that with yet another glorious pair of boots. From the pile of clothing she had been given she pulled out a white shirt. Pulling it over her head and removing her braid from the shirt once it had been pulled down afforded her the ability to see that it was rather low cut and the sleeves were a bit long but could be rolled up and buttoned around the elbow. She did just that, adjusting the newly rolled cuffs and buttoning them into place before grabbing the next item, a simple black collared vest that buttoned to just below her breasts.

"Come on, Esmeralda, really?" she huffed as she turned around, buttoning the last button and spreading her arms apart so the outfit could be seen and begrudgingly turning in a circle.

Her friend's reaction could only be described as giddy, she squealed softly and approached to straighten the sides of the vest a little before gushing, "Oh _this_ is the one. No need to take this off, here." Esmeralda rushed past her and dug around through a plethora of shoes until she pulled out what she deemed the perfect pair. The leather was black and supple from multiple wears, they were clearly well loved but certainly not damaged by any means.

Elsa slid into the (thankfully) mostly flat bottomed boots and found them comfortable enough, the fabric coming to just below her knees. Zipping the sides closed she rose and looked at herself in the mirror attached to the closet door. Esmeralda crept up behind her in the reflection, draping Elsa's braid over her shoulder to rest over her chest. "You're beautiful!" Esmeralda cooed, clearly pleased with her decisions.

"We should go..." Elsa said quietly, feigning disinterest in her reflection. Her eyes gave her away though, how strange was it that a simple change of clothing could make her look so very _different._

"Yeah, we should get there before Snow gets too much alcohol in her. We want her to remember who you are after all!" With that, Esmeralda took Elsa's arm and practically dragged the woman behind her.

XXXXXXXX

It was a flurry of greeting from the moment they passed the doorway. Elsa was all hello's and smiles as she was paraded before face after forgettable face. Those that Esmeralda couldn't name their hostess quickly supplied identities for, though Elsa knew she would only be able to recognize their faces if they were to cross paths in the future. It wasn't long before Esmeralda had disappeared from her side though. At least for the moment Elsa was comfortable in the spot she occupied in the unfamiliar living room.

But the party dragged on, minutes felt like hours as she stood nursing a mixed drink that the hostess had shoved into her hand just before Esmeralda had vanished. Elsa had been promised a great time at this party, but as she stood awaiting Esmeralda's return she could only think of how incredibly alone she felt despite being surrounded by friendly faces. Left to her own thoughts Elsa could bring herself down faster than anyone she knew.

Despite her best attempts, she couldn't seem to coax anyone into staying by her side for too long. Unfortunately Elsa was finding it difficult to provide any one of them with more than short answers – hardly fit for anyone attempting to actually carry on a conversation with her. She was certain that she was looking the part of the sour wallflower at this point, but this late into the night she couldn't muster the strength to care any longer. _I haven't always been this lousy of a conversationalist, have I?_

Try as she might, she couldn't explain her lack of ability to carry on with any of them. Sighing and finishing her drink Elsa turned her eyes to the people occupying the living area. Mostly female, she noted, but there were a few males intermingled in the group as well. Esmeralda had said the ratio wasn't unusual for this group but had not elaborated any further. Everyone seemed to at least be acquainted with one another as they all talked in bunches of three or four. Occasionally a smaller trio might join up with another, making a circle of people as they all conversed and laughed. Less frequently a pair of people might take their leave towards a hallway where Elsa could imagine they would be having some _alone_ time. Her prediction was confirmed when a pair of handsy young girls locked lips in the hallway before one pushed the other deeper into the hall in search of what she could only guess was a room.

Her eyes stopped on a rather muscular young man with three young ladies enraptured as he performed rather tired party tricks. Either they were being very polite or he was simply very attractive to them. A muffled shout reached her ears over the buzz of the crowd, pulling her gaze away from the man and his prospective one night stands. Dozens of heads turned along with hers and their eyes collectively settled on the slightly raised entryway as a cheer rang out from the crowd in response. Three people stood in the doorway, she was easily able to identify one of them as the hostess. No one could mistake that dark, short hair even among the large crowd – it certainly helped that she was clad in a bright, daffodil colored skirt and a frilly, dark blue top.

The newcomers were unfamiliar. _Not that I should be surprised, I don't really know many of the people here._ The brunette was tall but not terribly so, perhaps around the same height as the hostess she guessed. She wore a simple red hoodie and a pair of jeans that was torn on one thigh and had a fairly large hole in the knee of the other leg. Between the brunette and the hostess was a shorter woman, a redhead, dressed simply in a blue tee shirt and darkly colored jeans. Obviously they knew one another well, the hostess was draped around the redhead as they all spoke and soon the brunette joined her in the embrace. Elsa's thoughts immediately turned to plotting the perfect revenge for Esmeralda forcing her to dress up when jeans and a simple tee would have been perfectly acceptable.

Innocuously the redhead began looking out across the sea of people as though she were taking in the sight of the sheer number of people in the small area, but suddenly her eyes seemed to settle, causing Elsa's own eyes to grow wide. _Is she looking at...me?_ Though Elsa knew it was impossible (there were so many other possible targets between she and the stranger after all) it seemed like the newcomer was staring right at her, right into her soul.

A flush of heat began at her neck and crept into her cheeks, her whole face was pink in a matter of seconds. Blue eyes widened, her breath caught in her throat. Her stomach turned nervously and her head was reeling. _The alcohol. That's all it is_. Her tongue quickly slipped across her lips to wet them, she swallowed hard as her heart pumped faster in her chest. She found her lips parting without her permission as though she might dare to mouth a hello. All of a sudden she was wrapped up in the very naïve idea that she had managed to lock eyes across a crowded room with a stranger who was so incredibly...

Suddenly the eye contact was broken and she was jolted from her thoughts. Esmeralda had collided with her and pulled her into a hug, "Well, well! Do I see what I think I'm seeing?" she crooned, an open mouth grin spreading across her face as her dark brows wiggled suggestively.

The spell broken, Elsa scoffed and shoved Esmeralda off of her. "Don't _do_ that." she hissed, a note of fury to the three short words. Grumbling, she composed herself and brushed her clothing flat again after the playful assault. "You should be more kind to these clothes, they _are_ yours."

"You're dodging." The words tumbled out and taunted Elsa, pushing her into a hasty response.

"Dodging what? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you know what I mean." Esmeralda seemed to ignore Elsa's poor attempt at a changing the direction of the conversation and continued to goad her, dark brows waggling suggestively once again. "Making goo goo eyes at some girl so early in the night?"

"I don't- I wasn't-" Elsa was grasping for anything to say, her face flushing again as she turned away from her friend and carefully navigated her way to the less crowded hallway and out of the line of sight of most of the crowd. Esmeralda was hot on her heels. Suddenly a hand wrapped around Elsa's her upper arm and halted her would be escape. A gentle tug turned her around and the two women were face to face.

"Elsa..." Esmeralda's voice was softer now and more kind. A coy smile graced her lips as she took a step forward, "Your cheeks are pink."

Elsa took a step back in response, "I've been drinking, of course my face is a little pink. Next you'll be telling me I'm slurring and my eyes are a little..." Esmeralda advanced another step and Elsa took a step back in response. The little 'dance' quickly ended in Elsa's back pressed against a wall as Esmeralda refused to cease her advance, tenderly placing a hand on Elsa's pale cheek.

"You're not drunk. I saw it, all of it." Esmeralda proximity was uncomfortable but not entirely unwelcome."..Is this what you were feeling earlier?" Esmeralda continued as she inched closer, her hand trailing down Elsa's neck and arm until it wrapped around her waist and gently tugged her forward. Their hips touched and Elsa's grip on her cup loosened and it fell to the floor with a gentle _foop._

Elsa's brows furrowed as she let the scene play out. Her friend was clearly trying to evoke a very specific feeling but the only thing being brought to the forefront of Elsa's mind was her own confusion at the current situation and her denial of the previous one. Still, her heart was in her throat and thumping hard as she stood stiff, desperately avoiding Esmeralda's gaze. She was trapped, once again playing the part of the small, defenseless creature. She felt a hand on her face again, this time tilting her chin up to make her meet Esmeralda's gaze.

"Is it?" Esmeralda breathed.

Elsa could feel Esmeralda's words hot on her lips as she stood momentarily speechless, thankful that at least for the moment Esmeralda was no longer trying to get any closer than they already were. "N-No." she finally managed to choke out, breaking the eye contact that Esmeralda had initiated as she turned her eyes to the floor again."I think I understand what you're getting at, but _you_ certainly aren't..." Elsa paused for a moment, her eyes narrowed as she realized what was happening - Esmeralda wasn't drunkenly hitting on her, she was prying for information! "No." Elsa repeated, more firmly this time.

Parting from Elsa, Esmeralda laughed heartily. "I almost had you, you have to admit it! You were ready to tell me every little detail about...whatever you want to call that."

"Look, it was nothing alright?" Elsa said, stepping forward from the wall and crossing her arms over her midsection, "You know I'm hopeless anyway." she added for good measure, her gaze falling to the floor. Aurora had left her heart in tatters, she wasn't sure that _feeling_ anything for anyone was in the repertoire of things she could currently handle.

"Hey, we talked about this..."

Turning away Elsa nodded, if only to give the impression that she was listening or that she believed. "If I am determined to be hopeless, best to be a hopeless romantic. Was that the gist of it?" she muttered quietly before taking a few steps back towards the crowds.

"Elsa." Esmeralda chided, walking side by side with her, "No one deserves to have their heart locked away forever."

With that she smiled and returned to the party, leaving Elsa with her thoughts at the entry to the hallway. Elsa's eyes followed her through the crowd and found her chatting with the hostess in a matter of moments. As the pair glanced back at her she couldn't help but feel as though her dear friend was up to something. _I'll regret this party very soon, I'm sure of it._ Even so she couldn't stop herself from scanning the crowd and subtly searching for a particular shade of red.


	4. When You're Sober

Chapter Four: When You're Sober

Anna found herself breathing a little faster, suddenly warm despite the nip in the breeze that flowed in through the open door behind them. In an instant the serendipitous eye contact was broken by a more familiar face. Anna had seen her at parties and she was certain they had been introduced before but the woman's name escaped her.

"Anna." Snow said a little more insistently. By the tone Anna guessed it wasn't the first time her name had been called.

"Ah, sorry." she said with an apologetic smile, "I'm coming!"

She trailed behind the other two a few paces as they headed to the kitchen. To her surprise the area was relatively empty for this time of night, by now people were usually lining up to top off their night with a few more shots or mixed drinks before they bedded down or loading up on snacks to sober up before they headed home.

Snow set down two glasses with a little too much force and sent a jolt through the two ladies as they stood waiting. A clear liquid that smelled of fruit (most likely a flavored rum if Anna could recall Snow's preferences) was poured into the tiny glasses, filling them far too full for a single shot. Arguments were useless though, it was always best to take whatever drink was offered and enjoy it to keep their hostess pleased.

The first gulp left a trail of fire down her throat, but the second went down much more smoothly. Anna smiled as the warmth spread quickly through her body. She certainly wouldn't be immediately drunk, but she would never be able to deny that she was a cheap date. Being a lightweight had its advantages. "So what had your attention?" Snow asked casually, popping a few pretzels in her mouth as she filled new glasses with more liquor and (thankfully) a mixer.

Anna cleared her throat and shrugged as casually as she could manage to, "Just checking out the crowd, there are quite a few people still here huh? I thought it might be less crowded, we did get here pretty late."

Snow eyed her suspiciously before her mouth split with a wicked smile. "Oh? Really? I could have _sworn_ that it looked like you saw something you enjoyed out there."

Meg snorted and nearly spat the drink from her mouth while trying not to laugh. Swallowing, she added, "Some _one_." in a gentle rasp and poked Anna in the side.

Anna edged away from the intrusive finger and raised her eyebrows in response to the pair of them, her eyes traveling between the two as she carefully formulated her response. It was taking too long though, she could feel them growing more suspicious by the second.

"Just some unfamiliar faces tonight. It's exciting, that's all." she finally said, shrugging her shoulders again and brushing the issue off as nothing more than the buzz of the party putting her in a heightened state of enjoyment. She wasn't about to admit that she'd been staring at some random girl in the crowd – there wasn't any reason for her to put that information out there when she wasn't entirely sure why she had been doing it in the first place.

Snow grinned mischievously and leaned over the island toward Meg and Anna. "Yes, Esmeralda has made an appearance after a long absence. You both have met her before a few times. She was gracious enough to bring along a dashing lady friend of hers. Elsa, I believe she said her name was..." Snow paused thoughtfully for a moment before continuing, "Yes, I think that was it. The two were inseparable when they got here but I saw our new guest socializing with a few people after Esmeralda flitted off into the crowd to see some of her other friends. Seems like Elsa's not terribly into the party scene but she's _wonderful_ to look at. Oh and that _vest_..." Snow was sinking her teeth into her already rosy lip and her eyes were sultry, it was very clear what she was thinking.

Meg and Anna shared a knowing look before rolling their eyes simultaneously. Snow was known to give attention just as well as she could draw it in – Elsa wouldn't be safe if Snow decided that she wanted something from her. "I know it's your birthday but you instated the rule: no mauling new friends on their first party night." Meg insisted, "You scare more people off that way than the threat of being mauled by an _actual_ animal."

Looking appalled Snow raised her head high and marched herself out of the kitchen, promptly rushing back in to grab her cup before retracing her previous path and exiting in the most dramatic way she possibly could. Anna and Meg chuckled quietly to themselves before falling silent. The kitchen proved to be relatively quiet despite the low hum of conversation just a short distance away, the atmosphere quickly became uncomfortable with just the two of them standing alone.

"Shall we?" Meg offered her arm and Anna gladly accepted, allowing herself to be led out into the thick of the party. It seemed as though they had missed the worst of the drinkers, though it looked as though Gaston was attempting to wrangle himself a 'date' for the evening and that could prove to be just as obnoxious. He was entertaining three ladies tonight, the party was par for the course so far despite her late arrival. The pair split as they entered the main crowd, there wasn't enough room for them to traverse the area arm in arm here without seeming rude.

Conversation seemed almost tedious, Anna found herself far more anxious and distracted than she should have been. For whatever reason she kept scanning the crowd for something, but she couldn't put a finger on just what it was that she was looking for until she saw it. A flash of platinum caught Anna's attention and she watched, rapt. Her face flushed as she realized that not only was she continuing to stare holes into the woman she'd seen earlier, but that the woman was being followed into the hallway. That could only mean one thing in Snow's house.

Anna shifted, suddenly feeling a little stuffy and uncomfortable despite no change in her surroundings. Heat crept into her cheeks and she internally blamed the alcohol but she couldn't be sure. The sound of Meg 'tut'-ing next to her pulled her attention away as the two seemed to become rather cozy in the hall. "Shame." Meg said with a sly grin. "You should have gotten here sooner."

Anna swatted Meg's arm and shook her head as though the very idea was ludicrous. "Oh, my heart is breaking." Anna finally voiced, feigning a pitiful look at Meg as she exaggerated a pained expression, "Besides, what business of mine is it if some women are off to enjoy themselves. It's Snow's bed, not mine!" Anna forced a laugh and tugged Meg (who was viciously rolling her eyes and shaking her head) behind her as they joined a small group that was listening intently as Gaston regaled what she could only assume was a very tall tale about a display of his strength.

Yet even as he roared about having 'fought off the beast with his bare hands' (what beast she hadn't heard) Anna's eyes wandered. To her surprise the dark haired young lady that had accompanied the blonde into the hall had suddenly reappeared in the crowd and was whispering fervently with Snow, no less. _That must be Esmeralda._ She couldn't help herself, her eyes trailed back in the opposite direction that Esmeralda had emerged from and her eyes settled on Elsa standing alone in the hallway. The sight of Elsa alone made her feel much more at ease but exactly why she felt that way she couldn't decide. The woman was staring off into space, unaware of Anna's eyes drinking all of her in. _I'm obviously drunk, this drink is getting to me. Why else would I be fixating on this stranger? Clearly I'm a creepy drunk. Have I always been a creepy drunk?_

"Elsa." The word was barely above a whisper. She was hardly even sure if she had spoken the name or if she had merely thought it but it hung in the air and made her skin burn in a delightful way. Or was that the rum and punch?

Brimming with confusion she forced her eyes back to Gaston but as she did she started - Snow and Esmeralda had abruptly appeared before her – both smiling in a way that could only be described as unsettling. "Hey!" they said in unison, eyes wide and far too happy for Anna's liking. How long had they been standing there watching her? What could they possibly want and why did they have to have that look in their eyes? Anna swallowed, finding herself hopeful now that she'd only thought the other woman's name and not actually said it aloud.

Snow stepped forward slightly and grabbed Anna's hand, pulling it out for her and offering it for Esmeralda to shake. The woman was happy to oblige in forcing the incredibly strange (and more than a little awkward) handshake on Anna. "Do you remember Esmeralda, Anna?" Snow asked, her tone peculiarly nonchalant for their seemingly sudden interest in her. Snow had already reminded her of the woman's name, why would she bother bringing her over again? And why did her presence make Anna feel so defensive and upset?

"I can't say that I remember much more than what you look like and your name." Anna confessed as cheerily as she could manage without knowing what their intentions were, her eyes moved from Esmeralda to Snow and back again as the two continued to grin like fools.

"Nice to meet you. Well, I guess nice to see you would be more accurate since we've already met." Esmeralda mock-bowed, "The pleasure is all mine."

 _I know_. Anna found herself thinking spitefully.

Just like that she was between the two of them, each wrapping an arm around her as they walked (more like plowed) three-abreast through the living area. _What in the hell is going on with these two? Have I missed the part of the party where everyone was dosed with drugs?_ Anna thought, her brows knitting together in confusion.

"Snow tells me you like art?" Esmeralda asked, cocking her head to the side so that she could see Anna's expression as they paced the floor together like some odd sideways train.

"It's alright, I guess." Anna responded, peeling her gaze from Esmeralda to look at Snow insistently, clearly pleading to be saved from this situation.

Unfortunately, Snow was either blind to her pleas or she was blatantly ignoring Anna's confusion. "Don't be modest, Anna! You used to love finger painting. Oh, and that art museum, you _loved_ that." Snow teased, tightening her grip on Anna's arm. It was a silent indicator that her cries for help had been heard and that she would not be saved. She was trapped until Snow got what she was after. Though, what that was Anna had still yet to suss out.

"When we were _kids_." Anna emphasized, she was sure the two were either drunk out of their minds or just plain crazy. There was no real explanation for their actions at this point and Anna couldn't decide just what it was that they could possibly want from her. Her brain was quickly growing too fuzzy for much reasoning

"That sounds like you aren't interested then. It'll just be you and I, Snow. What a pity, Elsa will be disappointed." Esmeralda's face seemed to express sadness, but something was clearly off about the way she looked – she had a confident air about her even as she sighed in what was obviously meant to be a dejected manner. Anna had a feeling that Esmeralda was intentionally being vague and acting unhappy to goad her into asking what this was all about, but Anna wasn't falling for it and - wait, did she say Elsa?

"Pity?" No, Anna wasn't falling for it. She was all but tripping over herself to get to it. Anna had tried desperately to make herself sound uninterested but the swiftness of her response gave the other two all the information that they needed to carry out their mischievous plot. Another unsettling pair of smiles shone in unison and Esmeralda continued.

"Oh, we were just thinking about having a good friend of ours set up an art night for a few of us to get to know one another a little better. She's brilliant. Not famous yet or anything, but she can support herself with her art, how many people in Arendelle can boast that?"

Esmeralda spoke as though she were either the mother or the spouse of this mystery artist, she was almost glowing with pride. The words were calculated though, carefully spoken, deliberately vague, and entirely rehearsed Anna realized. What could they gain out of extending an invitation like this to her? Along the same line though, what did she have to lose by going to what was essentially a girls night out but with paint instead of booze? Why would they bother mentioning Elsa at all?

Snow knew very well that Anna hadn't met her yet and since she was new to the group there was no real reason to expect that they might become friends. More importantly, how could they have planned all this in the short time they spoke? Anna winced as Snow grasped her arm a little too tightly, "Say you will?" Snow asked, her face bright and cheery – as if she already knew the answer. There it was, Snow wanted a yes.

Pressure built in the moment's silence Anna left as she pondered her options. Try as she may she couldn't find any real reason to turn the invitation down and she finally relented with a nod and grumbled, "I guess it could be fun."

Internally, however, her mind reeled. Elsa, she'd be doing art with Elsa. Maybe she'd get to paint her instead of painting with her... _Oh gods, I am a creepy drunk. Why do I care so much? I don't even know her!_ As quickly as they had come they vanished. Anna barely felt them let her arms loose and they had already merged back into the crowd – leaving a very flustered red head in their wake. Had any of it been real or had she imagined it? _What did I just sign myself up for?_

XXXXXXXX

Anna's elbows were pressed to the top of a small, round table, the palms of her hands were pressed to her forehead for simultaneous support and headache relief. The chair across from her screeched as someone pulled it out, seating themselves. Grumbling, Anna lifted her head and let her vision settle on the blonde man across from her. "Finally." The word was nearly a whine as she reached out to grasp a frosty glass of chocolate milk.

"Don't get grumpy with me, you were the one up too late at a party sis. Are you hungover?" Kristoff seated himself and smiled at her, only driving Anna further into her rather displeased state.

"Don't call me that. I hate it when you call me that." she hissed in response, glaring at him as best as she could despite the throbbing in her head.

Kristoff chuckled as he signaled a waitress and placed an unusually large order: two stacks of pancakes, six eggs scrambled, and a double order of sausage links. When she was off he clarified, "I don't care what you say, you're eating. It'll help."Anna couldn't even muster the strength to argue with him. "Well, tell me all about it!" He seemed as giddy as a schoolgirl about to be dealt the latest gossip.

"You're far too chipper for me this morning." Anna began, grimacing as she lifted her head up and the world spun a little. Kristoff threw her a pressing look and Anna sighed before continuing. "I don't know. I honestly don't remember sending you any messages, if you hadn't come and picked me up this morning I'd still be asleep and not suffering."

"Oh, so you haven't had time to look at your texts? Great! You said something about a girl, hold on..." Pulling out his phone and unlocking it with a 'click' he scrolled through what seemed to be a litany of text messages. Watching him made Anna's stomach turn, he was smiling in a teasing manner as he searched. What could she have possibly said that would take this long for him to find? After what felt like a full minute of scrolling he finally raised his eyebrows, "Yep, here it is. ' _Kris, she's a vision. O.M.G._ '" he enunciated each letter in what she could only assume was his poor impression of her drunken voice, "' _We locked eye across the room._ ' - Oh, I'm fixing your grammar and spelling errors by the way - ' _just like in all the good romance movies. She's a ten, no a twenty!' –_ exclamation points for miles. You even sent a really terrible photo, What a creep-"

"Okay, okay! I get it. No need to drag out the embarrassment." Anna interjected, sure that her face was pink if not already completely red at the way she had been talking with him about a perfect stranger. If she was lucky Kristoff might dismiss the flush of color as a side effect of the hangover. "There was a girl. But I'm pretty sure she's with someone, they looked pretty friendly anyway." The memory washed over her, it was only a little muddled by the alcohol. She could almost clearly recall the platinum haired beauty being followed into the hallway that led to Snow's bedroom by Esmeralda, but... Anna's eyes widened as the realization hit her. "Maybe not though, the girl she was with spoke with me shortly after I saw them. She and Snow invited me to some _art_ night." If Anna had rolled her eyes any harder they might have fallen back into her skull.

Their conversation was interrupted as the waitress arrived with far too many plates full of food. It was only a moment before the white tabletop was covered with brightly colored plates littered with more food than she thought the pair would be able to eat. As they both said their thanks, Kristoff began splitting the bounty between them.

"Why would they invite you to something like that? You don't have a single artistic bone in your body, it'll be a horribly embarrassing night for you." His words were met with another glare but Anna remained quiet as she speared a few chunks of scrambled eggs and began eating. The more she ate and the longer they talked the more clearly she was able to think, the painful throbbing in her head ebbed with each passing moment. "They're obviously up to something, but honestly I'm more interested in this girl. Judging by your texts you were interested, why didn't you make a move?"

Anna coughed as she nearly inhaled a small piece of pancake that she was now attempting to eat. With a little difficulty she managed to coax it down before clearing her throat and taking a long drink. "I'm not gay, some girls are just attractive." she said, defensively crossing her arms over her midsection, "Besides, even if I wanted to what would I have said? 'Hey, I got your name from my friend and I think you're gorgeous?' Yeah, that would have definitely made me look normal and _not at all stalker-y_." Anna was practically glowering over her plate now, "Anyway, I'm sure it was just the alcohol. I don't generally make a habit of staring down strange girls just because they look nice and I definitely don't make a habit of texting you about it if I do."

Kristoff dismissed the statement by waving his fork (currently carrying a piece of a sausage link) between them, "Sis, I hate to break it to you, but you are _gay_. I guess lesbian would be the right term though. Or bisexual." Anna nearly swore at him as he rambled a little too loudly for her liking, but managed to resist the urge when he gave her a clearly displeased look – almost as if he could tell what she was planning. Anna was wide eyed and looked utterly deposed, her comfortable false reality where she reigned as queen of denial was being broken down and she couldn't do a single thing about it. "Look, I don't mean it in a bad way but you've _never_ been into any of those guys mom set you up with. Not one made you text me this way, not even when you'd been out partying with them and gotten completely plastered. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's got to be something more to this than just a simple case of boozy bisexuality."

Anna put her fork down and stared at her plate. It wasn't as if he was _wrong_ but the idea was so foreign to her it was almost ridiculous. She hadn't even known what 'gay' was until high school – two guys had sauntered down the hall hand in hand and smiling as if the world was theirs and theirs alone. Her mind raced but the words didn't seem to want to come out right. "How do...how do you even know when someone is trying to be...to be gay with you? I mean, all the usual stuff might come off as just being friendly, or I guess overly friendly."

As if sensing her anxiety Kristoff's resolve seemed to soften. "It's hard. But there's just something more when someone wants to be with you. You feel it, like, like a spark?" It came off as a question and sent Anna into a fit of laughter.

"A spark? Like sticking a fork into an electric socket?" Anna mimicked what she felt was an appropriate reaction to doing just that – shaking and clenching her jaw as though she was being shocked, her messy hair added an element of reality to the gesture.

She might have expected a lesser man to flush as she laughed at his explanation but Kristoff had always been resolute in his expression of emotion. "Be serious. You'll know what I'm talking about when you feel it. I doubt Hans ever thought that he was bi, but something happened the day we met. It was a light bulb moment for both of us. You won't know until it happens. You'll brush against one another or you'll have to shake hands or something insignificant and it'll be like a wall of lights illuminates and spells out 'lesbian.'"

Anna watched Kristoff speak with a silly grin across her face. By the end of his little speech she was feeling reassured, but no less confused. She had never once suspected that her brother and Hans had been together before he had told her. Though the day that he came clean and admitted that they had been together for years had broken her heart. How he could have lived what seemed to be a double life for so long and not crack under the pressure she would never know. Anna knew that she never wanted to live her life like that. _I want to know what's real and what's not._

The same kind waitress that had taken their order returned and cleared their plates away, smiling warmly as Kristoff slipped her what Anna assumed was enough cash to cover the bill and still leave her a generous tip. The interruption did nothing to cease the endless stream of thoughts in Anna's head, however.

"Look, girls are attractive." Anna's eyes shifted left and right as she nervously leaned forward for fear of being overheard. "That girl was very attractive. I've thought about the possibility of being with a woman a few times. I even joke with the girls about it, but I...thoughts are one thing and actions are another. I can't just drag some girl into a relationship to test the waters. I'm sure I was just feeling overly flirtatious because I was drunk." Her tone was resolute, almost as though she had no desire to continue the conversation any further.

With a loud chime the bell above the entry to the diner announced a visitor. Anna watched as Kristoff's eyes moved over her head to look at the doorway and for some reason he smiled. "You're sober now right?"

"Of course I am, you idiot." she said, smiling and patting her full belly with pride.

"Well, that girl looks an awful lot like the blurry photo you sent. How do you feel about her now that you're sober?"

Anna rolled her eyes again as her head turned toward the door, expecting that Kristoff was attempting to trick her. Immediately she returned her gaze back to Kristoff, the color drained from her face as the recognition washed over her. _Elsa_. "Oh God. It's her!" she whispered frantically, reaching her hands across the table and clutching Kristoff's hand as though it were the only lifeline that would keep her from sinking through the chair, the floor, and directly into the molten core of the Earth. How cruel did fate have to be? She was allowed a possible epiphany but no time to consider things further before she was presented with a test!

"I can't do this. I am not ready. I'm a mess. Look at my hair I didn't even get to brush it. Gods Kris why did you drag me out here?!" Her heart was in her throat and raced as though she had just been put through a rigorous exercise regiment. Despite being full her stomach felt fluttery and almost sick. "What would I even say?!"

Kristoff stifled the urge to guffaw loudly at Anna's sudden concern over her appearance. From 'I'm not sure this is what I'm about' to 'I'm pretty sure it's happening but I'm not ready' in half a second flat. _Anna never was one for the middle ground_ he thought fondly as he raised a hand to brush her loose bangs from her face. "Just breathe. You'll be alright. The worst that can happen is she can say no, right? And if she gives you trouble your big brother is right here." The words were meant to be a comfort to her but judging by the wide eyed look of what he could only assume was terror on her face they clearly weren't helping much.

Feeling very much the stalker, Anna watched as discreetly as she could manage to as the blonde approached the counter with a slow gait, it didn't take long for Anna's gaze to settle on her hips as they swayed with each careful step that she took. Anna swallowed hard. She was definitely sober and she was definitely checking out a woman. No big deal, right?

Elsa's nose was buried in a book but Anna was certain it was her, the butterflies dancing in her stomach confirmed it even when her eyes couldn't be completely sure. _What did I do to deserve this? Maybe I can slip out and she'll never notice me._ Yet she couldn't take her eyes away from Elsa no matter how hard she tried. She watched as Elsa seemed to place an order and paid, her eyes leaving the book only once as she smiled and said something to the owner. She kept watching when Elsa received a small paper bag with what Anna could only guess was some kind of treat. She even watched as Elsa nearly ran smack into another blonde.

Anna frowned. "Look." she said almost dejectedly, unable to tear her eyes from the two blondes in front of her. They looked like they knew one another well, Elsa's face was even getting red as they stood there talking – _flirting._ The sight set Anna's stomach to churning angrily. _She's not even that pretty._ The thought came unbidden, it was bitter and cruel and so very unlike Anna. Something about that little voice both surprised and frightened her. With things the way they were Anna was almost positive that there was more to this than she was ready to admit.

"I don't think they're together." Kristoff said offhand as he casually glanced over his shoulder, "Looks like the one is kind of forcing the conversation." Both strained to hear but neither could make anything out, it was almost as if the two were conversing in hushed tones purposefully to avoid being overheard. _Or they're just speaking normally and we're creepy stalkers!_

Anna's skin crawled at the sight of the other blonde touching Elsa's arm and her mind raced with thoughts, most of them regarding how insane she had to be to feel so jealous over someone she knew nothing about and had no right to be jealous over! Other thoughts insisted that she should be there at Elsa's side awkwardly attempting to charm her away from the not so pretty stranger. The floodgates seemed to be open now and Anna had to juggle all of these thoughts and feelings that whirled inside of her for the time being, at least until she could come to a decision about what she wanted to do with them.

"Anna." Kristoff looked concerned now, "Anna, you look pretty flustered, maybe we should go. I really didn't mean to make you feel like you had to do this today."

Going felt suspiciously like giving up to Anna (she had almost convinced herself that she could definitely test this theory right this moment) but she pushed herself out from her seat nonetheless. Kristoff pulled her close and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as though he were about to tug her down to give her a noogie. They were much too old for that now though. She felt herself stiffen as they approached the pair on their way out, just barely managing to quell the desire to glare daggers at the other blonde.

Just as they were past the pair she felt her foot catch on something. For one terrified moment Anna thought she would surely fall, but Kristoff caught her and laughed as he helped her reset her balance. He truly was a kind person, even if he could be pushy when he wanted to. Once they were outside, Anna couldn't help herself. Glancing sidelong through the windows of the diner her eyes settled on Elsa once more – was she crying?

But Anna forced herself to continue walking. After all, what could she do to remedy the situation? She wasn't even certain what the situation was! Something in her felt as though it was tugging her back there though, she ignored it as best as she was able to. Biting her lip, she mumbled "Yes." before ducking out from under Kristoff's arm.

"What?"

The look of confusion told her that in the process of the quick retreat from the diner Kristoff had let his previous question slip his mind. Anna couldn't stop thinking about it. She had still found this woman, this Elsa, attractive despite having no alcohol in her whatsoever. But then it wasn't that unusual to find someone of the same gender attractive, was it? She was certain that she had seen women on magazine covers that were visually attractive before but something about this just felt different, stimulating. It would be wonderful if she were able to explore this new option, though the idea of possibly hurting someone in the process if she determined that she wasn't interested was not one that she wanted to have to come to terms with. If this happened then it happened, if not she would be content to sit on the sidelines. Right?

"Yes, I found her attractive."

"Ew, sis, gross." Kristoff teased.

"I'm not going after her."

"Excuse me, _what_?" Kristoff stopped in his tracks and looked positively dumbfounded. "You just had this massive revelation and you're telling me you're not even going to _try_?"

"No, that's not what I said. I can't force myself on her. I haven't ever seriously considered being with a woman either, I don't have any idea what I'm doing. I don't want her to get hurt in the process. I'm going to try, I'm just...I'm going to do it carefully. Really, I can't go after her full force if I'm not even sure my heart is in it."

A silence fell between them, and then Kristoff started walking again. "That's probably the most intelligent thing you've ever said."

"Hey!"

Jogging to catch up Anna huffed as she tugged the door handle to Kristoff's car and got in, staring dreamily out the window as he took her home. _What a day. It's not even noon yet._

 **a/n: Sorry for the late upload, I think I rewrote this chapter two or three times before I settled on how I wanted this to go down. Chapter five is nearly completed though so be on the lookout. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you all for your support!**


	5. With Friends Like These

Chapter Five: With Friends Like These

Deeply engrossed in a thick novel Elsa traversed the familiar streets with ease. She had walked this route what seemed like a thousand times and her feet seemed to just know where she needed to go even when her eyes were otherwise occupied. As she approached the quaint diner a hand fell from the book and fumbled only for a second with the door handle before she was able to get a grip on it and tug the door open. Passing beneath the tinkling bell she allowed muscle memory to carry her around and between the few tables and booths that stood between her and the counter.

"Here for your usual?" A familiar voice asked, breaking her focus.

Elsa raised her eyes for just a moment and gave a small smile and nod before resuming where she had left off, "Please, Ti."

Elsa heard Tiana exhale through her nose, the sound could only be a small laugh at her expense. Surely she looked a little ridiculous as she rummaged one-handed through her bag for money but she just had to finish this chapter! Setting cash on the counter she pushed it forward and grabbed the paper bag from Tiana with a small "Thanks."

"Must be a good one! One of these days you'll have to stop and tell me what you're reading!" Tiana said cheerfully. Elsa could see her shaking her head and smiling in her peripheral vision. "See you tomorrow." they said in unison. It was a well rehearsed dance that Elsa truly appreciated, the normalcy was something that made each day a little easier and a little more real.

Blue eyes trailed quickly over the words printed on the pages, never leaving her book as she headed towards the exit. At least, they didn't leave the book until she realized that someone was purposefully blocking her way out. Her head raised only partially until the identity of the person who was standing in front of her became clear – in a panicked motion she snapped the book shut, moving it to the same hand as her bag and letting both hang at her side. "A-Aurora?" She was desperately attempting to conceal her simultaneous surprise and terror, failing miserably on both fronts.

"Oh good, I thought you might still be in the habit of coming here every day." Hearing her voice after so long grated on Elsa's nerves, it felt like steam on a fresh burn. She felt entirely raw and exposed as she stood before Aurora. The longer she stood awkwardly trying to think of something, _anything_ to say the more blatantly aware she became of the uncomfortable heat that was steadily rising in her cheeks.

"Yep." Elsa was polite but her tone bordered dangerously on curt.

Without missing a beat Aurora continued, "I'm glad. When you didn't get back to me I thought maybe you'd changed your e-mail or something. Then I remembered you like this place and thought it would be best to try and catch you here. You know, to talk. Face to face." Her voice was low, as though she might not want anyone to be disturbed by their conversation. Elsa felt her stomach turn as Aurora smiled at her. Nowhere would be safe until they had talked this through, nowhere familiar anyway. She knew Aurora too well to believe she would give up if Elsa told her she wanted to just drop it and move on. Ready or not this would all unravel today. "Do you want to sit?" Aurora offered, outstretching her arm to gesture to a vacant booth nearby.

Elsa fervently shook her head and Aurora reached out to touch her arm. She couldn't even manage to pull back, she was so starved for physical attention at this point that the short, albeit unwelcome, contact was maddening. Her emotions ran rampant – was she angry that Aurora felt as though ambushing her like this was alright or was she elated that Aurora was so keen on being back in her life? Was she furious or frightened that Aurora had possibly followed her here from her home just to initiate contact?

Unable to settle on just one feeling Elsa stood on the spot and opened and closed her mouth once, then a second time as she grasped at straws trying to find something appropriate to say. It was hard to focus when her skin still felt like it had been lit aflame where Aurora had touched her. "I don't-" Elsa stammered at last. "I don't want to talk about...about what we've gone through. It makes me feel...sad." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Mentally she berated herself for her lack of a more concise or eloquent word to describe what she had been feeling. Sad was a pitiful adjective. What she felt was more like she had been stripped of her self confidence and self worth. She couldn't even defend herself now that she was face to face with the person who had made her feel so absolutely worthless, and a small part of her almost didn't want to.

"Look, what I said. What I _did_. There aren't words that can get across how incredibly _sorry_ that I am. You didn't deserve any of it." Aurora paused to catch Elsa's gaze before continuing. " _We_ didn't deserve that. I can see now that I fucked up but please, find it in your heart to give me another chance. I miss you. I _need_ you."

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut, it all had to be some kind of terrible dream. Was this conversation really happening? And right in the middle of a diner, no less? Her chest felt tight as she forced her lungs to draw in a ragged breath, ignoring the all too familiar burning sensation behind her eyes as she opened them again to study Aurora's expression through tear blurred vision. Was she really sorry or was she just lonely? She seemed sincere enough but Elsa still held on to her doubt and fear. Anyone could look sincere if they tried hard enough.

The thought of giving Aurora an answer made her sick. A squeak, the sound of a sneaker catching on tile, caught her attention and Elsa was thankful. At least, she thought she was thankful. The fleeting feeling fled just as quickly as it had appeared as she realized just who was in front of them. It was only the back of her head, but Elsa felt fairly certain. It was the woman from the night before. Except now she was with a large, muscular suitor it seemed. _Oh that's just perfect_ she thought bitterly as she watched him assist her back to her feet.

"Let's take this outside, is that okay?" Elsa asked, attempting to compartmentalize the twofold hurt that fell upon her like a wave slowly devouring the sands of a beach.

There was no objection, in fact Aurora kindly led the way and even opened the door. For half a heartbeat things were as they had once been, but the reality of the situation fell heavy on Elsa's heart as they stood facing one another just aside from the doorway. She could feel Aurora's eyes on her expectantly as she started walking, she hadn't given Aurora a response yet and she wasn't entirely sure if she would be able to.

"I don't really know what to say." Elsa finally imparted, her feet were instinctively taking her somewhere despite her lack of mentally deciding on a location that felt safe.

Aurora almost looked confused. Elsa doubted it though, how could she be? But as Aurora spoke again Elsa's understanding of things began to clear, bringing a painful ache to her chest.

"You aren't seeing someone else are you? You can't just start seeing someone else, we never really broke up or clarified anything. Please, say you're not. I can't live with the thought of someone else holding you, kissing you..."

It seemed as though Elsa would be feeling every emotion on the spectrum today. Fury welled within her as she clenched her hand over the spine of her book. The paper bag crinkled and her knuckles grew white as her grip seemed to tighten endlessly. "We didn't?" Her voice was tight, edging on cruel. "I thought that issue was settled when I walked in on you with your head between Mulan's legs!"

By now she was certain someone would overhear them, her voice had gone through a full crescendo and it had reached a pinnacle, Elsa was nearly shouting. She was well past controlling her volume at this point, but luckily the streets seemed empty enough. "You treated me like nothing and then did _this_ – you broke my _fucking_ heart!" Elsa's voice cracked as she fell silent, if her face wasn't purple with rage it would have shocked her.

Aurora's expression had barely faltered, she had obviously been prepared for any reaction that Elsa might have. That seemed to anger Elsa further, had Aurora always been this way? How could Elsa not have noticed it? Calmly Aurora voiced her reply, "Look, babe-"

"Babe?!" Elsa was practically roaring now, " _Babe?!_ Fuck you. Fuck. You! I can't believe I've wasted months mourning over this. I _loved_ you. I thought you loved me too. And yet you somehow still managed to find it in your heart to screw me over. Even back then I'm certain that I was ready to forgive you, but you never came to me. You never bothered to make sure that I wasn't fucked up after seeing you like that. But then you show up months later and have the balls to act like I'm the one who is hurting you? You were greedy and you can't have possibly thought of how doing that would make me feel. Did you ever even need me? Did you ever want me at all or was I just some conquest to you?"

Elsa picked up her pace as the concrete changed to grass. A small breeze carried with it a lightly floral and earthy scent as it swept past her. The smell was familiar and safe and that's all she needed to feel right now, her mind was too full of the negativity and the anger that she felt toward Aurora. She had to calm herself down, think rationally about this. This moment would be a deciding factor in how the rest of her life would go. Was forgiveness even in the realm of possibility any longer?

It was only when she reached an abandoned play area that she finally stopped, tiny pebbles crunching beneath her feet. Turning back she realized that Aurora was smiling. Was she smug, or was that more of a cocky smile? Like a ton of bricks she was hit by the truth that had been hidden in the words she'd shouted in anger – Aurora _hadn't_ ever cared at all. Elsa had really wasted so much time waiting and hoping and praying when the reality was that Aurora was everything everyone had ever told her she was. She was selfish and greedy, hateful and full of herself – nothing like what Elsa used to feel she was. Blinded by love she had ignored all the negatives and replaced them with false realities and in creating this perfect version of Aurora she doomed herself to every single thing that had transpired since the moment they met.

Elsa could feel the strength draining from her as Aurora seemed to contemplate her next move. Her smile made Elsa's stomach feel sick as she stood helplessly letting the air between them fill with loaded silence. Elsa hadn't been prepared to do this today, not to realize everything that she had idolized and agonized over was a lie. Nor for the realization that she had ignored and isolated herself from good friends who desperately tried to convince her that Aurora was, well, who she was. Aurora was a user – just like everyone had always told her. A user just lying in wait for the next poor sap to take advantage of: and Elsa had nearly become a willing victim once again.

But as Elsa felt the rage and the fear melt away and she found that she could almost pity Aurora, almost. She would never be satisfied with anyone or anything for her whole life as long as the promise of something 'better' was right around the corner. She couldn't push back the sardonic grin that tugged at the corners of her mouth. Today was not the day that she would fall again, not today and not any other day.

"Come on, how many times have I said I need you? I love you. Is that what you want to hear?"

 _CRACK_.

Elsa's palm stung as she withdrew her hand from Aurora's cheek, leaving a red phantom in its wake. She wished she could glare or yell or anything, but Elsa just stood there in shock at what she'd just done. This whole ordeal could have been something so rejuvenating, something to heal her broken heart and bring closure to this hellish chapter of her life. Now she stood with only her guilt and her fear and her throbbing palm. Elsa winced as Aurora's lips turned up in another discomfiting smile.

"I hope you're happy." Aurora sighed, "You know where to find me when you figure out that I'm the only one who could ever love you. No one else will _ever_ make you feel the way that I have made you feel." The words were bitter and vile, but there was a note of sadness in them as well. Elsa couldn't help but hope that she was right, this strange mixture of anger and sadness was nothing she would want to experience again.

Watching anxiously as the back of Aurora's head grew smaller as she moved into the distance Elsa stepped back toward a swing set and slumped into the plastic seat. Dropping her book and her bag she cradled her hand, if the pain had been any less she might believe all this had been a dream. It took several moments for her to come back to reality and not exist in the moment that her hand had made contact with Aurora's face. She finally reached for her phone and carefully typed a message.

'Code Marshmallow. Living Rock Park.'

XXXXXXXXX

Elsa sat quietly wringing her hands in her lap as Esmeralda paced in front of her, kicking up gravel with the fervor of her steps. Having re-seated herself in the swing as the sun beat down on the pair. She had patiently waited for a few hours before her dear friend had finally appeared at her side looking as worried as a mother who had lost her child at a shopping mall.

"You should have called me, I didn't even hear my phone! Did she hurt you? What did she say? Are you alright?" The questions were coming in a flurry, Elsa could feel her shoulders rising up to her ears as she sunk into the swing to protect herself from the seemingly endless volley. Finally Esmeralda, sounding exasperated, sighed "What happened, babe?"

The word put Elsa on edge. In fact, if she was honest it made her skin crawl. After the way it was used today the generally affectionate term would probably never sound the same to her ears. But her discomfort didn't stop her from divulging the whole sordid tale, each detail and pointedly hateful phrase she had slung. Memory after awful memory poured from her lips as she elaborated on her feelings and fears and the sudden but inevitable revelation she had had while they argued. Elsa poured her soul out and with each sentence her chest felt lighter and her mind more clear.

"And that's how it happened. And then I sat down on this swing and eventually I ate my chocolate muffin. Played on the monkey bars. Now here we are. Seems a little anticlimactic really."

Esmeralda nearly cheered when Elsa finished, closing the space between them and holding the chains of the swing. "You _slapped_ her? Way to go, you're a fucking boss!"

Elsa cradled her head and sighed in frustration, "Am I?" She sounded miserable, of that she was certain. "Don't you get it? This relationship with Aurora is not salvageable anymore, now I'm not even sure that I ever really wanted it to be in the first place. I feel ridiculous! Like this whole portion of my life has been some kind of weird lie. I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you sooner."

Esmeralda's hand gently slid across her back in a display of comfort, "Love makes people do stupid things, the line between love and wasting your time is so paper thin these days that it's hard to tell where a good thing goes wrong. You just wanted to trust her and that isn't a bad thing. Just...some people are just born to take advantage of the kindness of others."

Groaning Elsa leaned forward and placed her elbows on her knees, supporting her head with her palms. She could have kicked herself for being such a lovesick idiot. _How could I do this to myself?_ "I know, I know." The words were so quiet and her tone was thick with shame and self pity. "Is it bad that I feel relieved?" She did, truly. Something about the finality of it all was soothing and painful all at the same time.

"Of course not, this is a milestone. We really should be drinking to celebrate this but I'm not sure I can handle any more liquor after last night..." Esmeralda paused and let go of the swing's chains and leaned on the metal poles that supported the swing set, her arms crossing over her chest. " _Speaking_ of last night, are you going to give me any more information about that incident at Snow's party?"

The words had come out casually, but Elsa knew that Esmeralda had been waiting anxiously for any possible moment that she could interject the question in. The segue was good, she had to admit, but it was clear that the question had been on the tip of her tongue since the 'incident' had occurred. Esmeralda was desperate to hear more. Elsa didn't answer for a few minutes, using her feet to push herself backward on the swing and allow herself to gently sway before she even considered validating that ridiculous question with a response. It was best that she played along for the time being. "Incident?"

"Don't play coy with me, that's my game." The look Esmeralda shot her could have killed, or at least paralyzed.

Elsa frowned, she was unable to deny the fact that Esmeralda was right. Kicking her feet gently Elsa shrugged. "I just saw a pretty girl, that's all. You know how it goes: spot a pretty girl, stare awkwardly, talk yourself out of talking to her, then pray that you never run into her without being prepared. Or just pray you never see her again so she can't break your heart."

"Did you even get her name?"

Elsa scoffed, from the moment she'd seen the enchanting redhead she hadn't ever been even remotely close enough to speak to her. Not that it mattered anyway, judging by what she had seen today at the diner there was no way that she could compete with Mr. Muscles. "And when would I have had the pleasure to do that? Before or after you attempted to seduce me in the hallway?"

Esmeralda feigned injury at the quip, but carried on nonetheless "Do you _want_ to know her name?"

Elsa fell silent, suddenly becoming very interested in what was either a very fat cat or a raccoon in the distance rummaging through one of the park trash cans. Her eyes had almost glassed over as she remembered the details of the previous night. That unique shade of red hair catching her eye across the room as she managed to sneak glimpses of the woman that she believed she'd shared such an intimate glance with. Yet how could she get her hopes up? She didn't know anything about this mystery woman, for all she knew the woman could be married and trying for children! It was a twisted fantasy that she could somehow have found someone who might care for her again. The dreaming hurt almost as much as the reality: the woman was clearly seeing someone. Nothing Elsa felt or did would matter.

Esmeralda had grown impatient with Elsa's silence and stepped into her line of sight, leaning forward slightly to level her gaze with Elsa's. "Well? Do you want to know her name or not?"

It was clear that her dear friend was not going to give up until Elsa relented, but somehow Elsa couldn't find it in her to give in and ask. Just the night before she might have fallen to her knees and begged to hear the woman's name and now...now something held her back. Some small, nagging voice at the very back of her mind screamed no, no, no! Why torment herself when she already knew what the outcome would be. "What's it matter? She's straight anyway."

Tutting Esmeralda brought herself forward to sit on Elsa's lap, the chains of the swing creaked beneath the weight of the two of them, but luckily the links seemed strong enough to support them. "Now, now. That's no way to treat the heroine offering to save you from yourself."

Elsa couldn't hold back the scoff that escaped her. _At least I managed to not laugh_. "Save me from myself? Pray tell, how do you plan on doing that?"

"You're so dead set on keeping yourself from loving again, it's really quite pitiful. Do you really think that if you conceal your feelings you'll just get over them? You have to learn to let this, this awful _thing_ go. Everyone deserves love, it's for all of us. Besides, you're curious. I can see it in those baby blues." Esmeralda had slung an arm around Elsa's neck and was once again too close. It seemed a regular occurrence with her, as though she enjoyed provoking her friends by testing their boundaries. Her other hand reached to the base of Elsa's neck, grazing her skin lightly as she brought the braid forward to rest on Elsa's chest.

"And what if I am?" The words came unbidden, tumbling from her lips before her mind could even process them. Elsa certainly hadn't planned to be so easily swayed but she couldn't help the tiny flame of hope that flared in her belly. It was hopeless to struggle now, something in her had become set on knowing no matter the consequences. A familiar smile crossed Esmeralda's lips and Elsa couldn't stop herself as she raised an eyebrow in response. What about this woman was making her lose control of her normally composed nature?

"I'll tell you her name, but you need to do me a favor first."

Elsa tensed as Esmeralda brought a finger to her lips, she nearly flinched when she felt their skin touch. Esmeralda had been provocative for as long as Elsa had known her, but she didn't think that she would ever grow accustomed to the ease with which she issued physical affection, even if her skin was begging for more contact. "Yes?" Silently cursing herself for yet another quick response Elsa waited, her stomach knotting as she imagined the menagerie of possibilities that could be presented to her. She never imagined Esmeralda would ask for something sexual, but her mind raced with all manner of strange things she could be asked to do.

"You'll host a night of painting and frolicking. At your studio. There will be no objections."

The suggestion was mild, certainly much more tame than any of the other possible ideas that had wormed their way into Elsa's mind. There had to be an angle though, there always was. It was just a matter of wheedling it out of Esmeralda.

"Surely you want more than that?" Elsa began, grasping Esmeralda's wrist and moving her hand away so that she could speak more clearly. "I have to say, I'm rather suspicious. It seems too good to be true, too easy coming from you. What all would this entail?"

"It's very simple really, you'll be teaching a small group of us to paint whatever subject we may want to paint for the evening. Easy, hm?"

Elsa was certain the look on her face was a sassy one, she gave a short exhale of breath through her nose to indicate that she was still in disbelief. "And who will be paying for all the supplies? This isn't cheap to do you know, especially if you want good quality paint and canvas. Not to mention my time, I've got plenty of other projects to be working on."

Esmeralda waved her hand dismissively, "You let me take care of that. You know I make enough in tips to fund a small army."

It was true, Esmeralda was the best paid waitress in the city, Elsa was sure of it. She was easily the most charming person that Elsa knew and she didn't doubt for one second that her tips easily matched what she made selling her paintings. Elsa felt a pang of guilt for just a moment, but she conceded. "Fine, but don't skimp on the paint. It's important that it be good quality, otherwise it doesn't blend right."

"Such a snob. Only the best for my queen, then. You have my word."

Satisfied, Elsa relaxed and shifted beneath Esmeralda's weight. She wasn't heavy per se but the length of time she'd been in the same spot on Elsa's lap was beginning to take it's toll on her thighs. "And how many people will be there? You know I hate to have large groups in my studio if I can avoid it."

Ah yes, that was where things were going to get interesting, Elsa could tell by the look on Esmeralda's face. The woman rose from her lap and stood behind her, thumbs digging into the tight muscles of her shoulders in a pleasant but simultaneously painful attempt to calm Elsa's nerves. "Oh, we definitely won't be filling your studio. It's just going to be a few people. You, me, Snow." Esmeralda paused, leaning forward until her lips were level with Elsa's ears and whispered, " _Anna._ "

She couldn't be sure if it was the utterance of the name, the manner in which the information was delivered, or the cool breeze that had picked up since the sun had begun to set, but a shiver shot up Elsa's spine. "Anna." For the third time that night her mouth had acted without her permission, repeating the name as though it were some spell that might transport the woman right to the park. "I don't know any Anna." Elsa quickly added, her attempts to hide the rather embarrassing utterance were lost on Esmeralda who had already begun to grin like a cat in the cream.

"Shall I tell you about her then?" Esmeralda taunted, her head tilting to the side as she attempted to meet Elsa's gaze.

Obviously Esmeralda meant to draw Elsa further into this strange obsession over a woman she hadn't yet had the pleasure to meet, but knew that she would never be able to have. Still, the offer was tantalizing. She could know at least something about the woman before meeting her, become more friendly with her before she tried to - the thought stopped abruptly. How could she even be thinking along those lines? If there were to be a new beginning then it would need honesty and kindness and chemistry, it couldn't be a shameful reinvention of her previous nightmare of a relationship. She would have to feel this one out on her own.

Pushing herself out of the swing Elsa stood, resolute in her decision. "I hate to say it, but you're absolutely right about me. I've been isolating myself for too long, it's time for me to stop trying to suppress my feelings. I'm going to let go of this Aurora thing that's been holding me back, I'll finally let myself be free."

"That's my girl! I think that now would be an excellent time for celebratory ice cream!" Esmeralda lightly punched Elsa's arm before dragging her onto the grass and twirling her as though they were dancing.

"Hey!" Elsa said insistently, stopping the motion as best as she could, "What are we celebrating?"

"Oh sweet, innocent Elsa. You've taken your first steps back into the dating pool. The water is warmer the further you delve." Esmeralda purred, tugging Elsa back into her arms, "If you can't make things work with Anna, you'll always have me."

Elsa struggled, shoving Esmeralda away as best as she could. "You never turn off the charm, do you? But it won't work with her, so you'd better reconsider your brazen offer or I might take advantage and trap you in it."

Esmeralda's game ceased immediately and she frowned and placed one hand on her hip. "Well why the hell _wouldn't_ it work?"

"Today at the diner. I swear it was her, I mean I only saw the back of her head but..." Elsa paused, wringing her hands, "She was with a man, a very handsome, very muscular, very blonde man. Anna tripped and he caught her, I'm almost certain that they were together."

Elsa couldn't help but notice that Esmeralda looked thoroughly confused, perhaps more so than she should have given her own limited knowledge of Anna. "So she's into blondes!" Esmeralda said with a wide smile, "Sounds like you've got a shot. But I don't believe it for a second that she's straight. Bi, maybe, but if she's straight I'll cook and eat Djali."

"I'm pretty sure if your sweet little corgi disappeared the world would be a sad place, I wouldn't wager his life and your mental health over something like this."

"But you'll still do the art thing, right?" Esmeralda seemed unfazed by the news that her whole plan had gone to shit. Elsa found it truly admirable how incredibly stubborn the woman could be. In fact, it almost seemed as though she may have more information than she was letting on.

"Of course. Can we still get ice cream?"

"Dinner first, then ice cream. One chocolate muffin and ice cream shouldn't be all that you eat today, even if you are sad. This way, my liege!"


	6. The Long Night Begins

Chapter Six: The Long Night Begins

The day of the 'art night' as she had taken to calling it had finally arrived. Two weeks had passed since she'd last seen Elsa with tears streaming down her face in the diner. Two excruciatingly long weeks without being able to do even the most mundane task without somehow linking it to the mystery girl that she was finally about to meet. Would Elsa like pancakes as much as she did? Would she be a dog person or a cat person? What if she didn't like pets at all? Did she sing in the shower? What did she do for a living? But now the day was finally here! She would meet Elsa and casually try to learn all the things that she had been wondering about. She would finally get to speak to Elsa.

Anna had already very optimistically convinced herself that whatever was going on that day at the diner was not at all romantic in nature. Surely no one would commence a break up in a diner, and while standing right in the middle of it no less. They were old friends who bumped into one another and Elsa was simply hearing some bad news. Not that Anna hoped for anything that would make Elsa sad, but she was so very full of hope that she might at least have a shot. More importantly she was hopeful that Elsa would be receptive to any interaction, romantic or otherwise, that Anna could manage tonight.

 _Is that selfish? Wanting a stranger to give me their attention and time when I've done nothing to deserve it? I'm a terrible person for just assuming Elsa isn't heartbroken if that girl_ was _romantically involved with her but I can't help it!_ Anna worried that perhaps she was getting her hopes up a little higher than they should be. After all, something wouldn't develop in just one night. But what if it did? What if things went so well that Elsa and Anna ended up spending the night together? Anna's stressed brain nearly caused her to enter a catatonic state as it conjured images of a moaning, pink faced Elsa pressed against a wall while Anna ravaged her with kisses. _Oh come on brain don't do this shit to me! I'll never be able to talk to her if I'm imagining things like this before I've even introduced myself._

Fretting before the mirror Anna styled her hair for the fourth time. Behind her, seated in a papasan chair that almost seemed too small for him, Anna heard Kristoff sigh dramatically. Whirling around to face him and brandishing a curling wand in his general direction Anna shot him a poisonous look, "It's your own fault you're still here Kris, if you were just honest about how I look then I'd let you leave. Just tell me what you really think!"

"I've told you _three times_ that you look gorgeous, sis. Just chill out. You're going to look fine any way you go with this. Besides, it's just painting right? How fancy do you need to be to paint? You're going to look ridiculous if you go too over the top and everyone else went for a casual look."

Anna turned back to the mirror and frowned. Certainly the curls looked nice but she knew that Kristoff was likely right – after all, her hair would be in her face and that couldn't possibly be conducive to painting appropriately, could it? The nerves were truly beginning to sink in now and her hand began to shake as she brought the iron back up and carried on working.

"Thank you for letting me do this here..."

"I doubt you would have left your place if you hadn't come here to do this. This way you'll at least make it outside, even if I have to throw you out."

"Hey! You shut your mouth, I'm going to do this. Tonight."

"I still think you'd be fine with a simpler hairstyle." Kristoff's tone was almost taunting, it caused Anna to glare at his reflection in the mirror and briefly poke her tongue out at him.

A quick glance at the clock brought a small squeak of terror from her lips. If she wanted to be there on time she would have to leave in fifteen minutes - that was hardly enough time to finish the current styling let alone decide on another one and complete it. "Curls it is." she muttered, before shouting playfully at Kristoff "Get out, you're no help!"

Kristoff quickly fled the scene before Anna could change her mind again. His speedy retreat left Anna alone and quite nervous before the mirror. _I'll just have to remember a hair tie, that's all. If it gets in the way I'll pull it back._

Minutes ticked by much faster than Anna expected, as she finished the last strand the alarm that she had set began going off. Unplugging her curling iron she took it to Kristoff's bathroom and set it to cool where nothing could catch fire, then ran back into the room to quickly apply some eyeliner and eyeshadow. Stepping back, she took one final look at herself in the mirror. Anna had chosen a darker pair of jeans and a teal tank top with a purple flower across the chest– if either were stained with paint in the course of the night she wouldn't be terribly upset, but she still felt like she looked cute enough to catch the eyes of a certain blonde. She watched as a small blush crept into her cheeks at the thought and had to work hard to keep her mind from wandering again.

"You look good, Anna. Nervous?"

Anna nearly jumped from her skin as she turned to see Hans standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. "Hans." she breathed, her hand rising to her chest, "Thanks. I'm not nervous. I'm totally fine. Not worried at all. Just fine."

"Seems like you've got everything under control."

His voice was doubtful and Anna couldn't blame him. Truthfully she was incredibly anxious about the situation and she was sure that it was obvious, her feelings of anxiety were magnified by the fact that not only would she essentially be trying to get a date with a woman she hardly knew – she would also have to do this while in front of her friends. What if Elsa said no? What if she was into women, just not into Anna? _Oh no, what if she doesn't like red hair? Or Freckles?_

"You might want to get going, you'll be late." Hans sounded a tad impatient.

Anna could hardly blame him. She'd been in their home all day long it seemed, she could only imagine that her intrusion was throwing a wrench in any plans that they may have had for the day.

"Oh, shit!" Anna raced toward the door, grabbing her purse and keys before dashing out the door. "Bye!"

The door all but slammed behind her as she raced to her car. But as she sat down and closed the door she found that her hands were shaking as she tried to press the key into the ignition. Metal scraped against metal as she finally managed to insert it and she exhaled deeply, her breath quavering as it left her body. Punching the address Snow had given her into her phone navigation she started toward the studio.

Nestled in the middle of a field was a multistory building, if Anna didn't know that she was headed to an art studio she might assume the building was just another apartment complex. Pulling into a space and shutting her car off she sat anxiously gripping the steering wheel. Yet minutes passed and Anna still hadn't moved an inch, but eventually she willed herself out of her vehicle and approached the building.

Checking a previous text message as she entered the building she confirmed the floor as the third one and took the elevator up. With a ding the doors opened to a small entryway and was faced with a white door. It's frame was decorated with what appeared to be abstract blue flowers. The face of the door had a more intricate pattern that was reminiscent of a snowflake surrounded by snow.

Anna stood admiring the paint work for so long that the doors of the elevator began to shut on her. Thrusting her arm out just in time she managed to trigger the sensor, causing the door to slide open again. Quickly Anna stepped out and watched as the doors slid completely shut this time and the elevator whirred as it traveled toward the next destination, leaving her all alone in front of this suddenly very intimidating door.

No sound could be heard from inside, indicating either thick walls or that no one was inside. Anna could have kicked herself for not checking the parking lot for Snow's car before she came up, but now was certainly not the time to chicken out. Her hands shook as she reached out for the door, fingers curling into a fist and floating just inches in front of the door.

Knocking the first five notes to 'shave and a haircut' on the door she dropped her hand back to her side, then pulled both of them behind her back and rocked on the balls of her feet. Realizing how silly it may look for her to stand that way Anna quickly shifted her stance, slipping her hands in her jean pockets and smiling a little. _Too cheesy?_ Frantically swapping positions again she finally settled on just letting her arms cross in front of her and standing as still as she could.

A click and then the door swung open and there stood- Anna's face contorted into the most confused face that she imagined was possible, before drifting into a frown. "Oh, hi Snow." Her lack of enthusiasm was painfully evident.

"Expecting someone else? Don't you dare come in here looking so sullen, make a good first impression!" Snow replied in a soft voice, smiling warmly before waving her in and speaking normally now, "Come on in, Anna! They've kindly set up for us, we have just been killing time waiting on you."

Anna's eyebrows furrowed as she took in the sight immediately in front of her. Three easels, each with their own canvas, a stool, a palette, a few weird knife looking things, and a variety of brushes and paints. Three. The number struck her as odd since she knew that there would be four people as well as whatever mysterious art friend they were talking about. Had someone decided not to show? No. Snow would have mentioned it, right? Something fishy was going on but Anna allowed herself to be led to the center easel where she sat compliantly on the stool.

Glancing around as casually as she could manage Anna took in the sights of the studio. It very well could have passed for an apartment: farther in along the back wall and to the left of the entrance was a small seating area with a loveseat, a recliner and a small coffee table around a television set. To the immediate right of the entryway was a small kitchen area with all the standard appliances, obviously the person who lived there liked black since everything from the microwave to the refrigerator appeared to be the same color. Further in was a small hallway leading off to the right with a small bathroom at the end. Another door along the hall led to what appeared to be a separate room (Anna couldn't tell what kind of room since the door was firmly shut). Every inch of the wall was lined with framed artwork.

"So, where is everyone else?" Translation: where is Elsa? Anna fought hard to keep the look of impatience off of her face, but it was a difficult battle and judging by Snow's response it was one that she was losing.

"Oh they'll be along. Be patient, dear. They're handling something a little personal in the other room."

Snow's response was innocent but it caused Anna's stomach to turn. Elsa had to be in that room and with some other people. Surely she wasn't the type to need two people at once? Anna felt her face flush again at the thought of Esmeralda, Elsa, and a mystery person 'enjoying' each others company. _I literally just realized that I'm into girls and my brain is already betraying me! Keep it together, Anna!_

"I s-see." Anna managed, turning on her stool to face away from Snow and stare pointedly through the plate glass windows that ran from the wall holding the television to the wall that separated the main area from the mysterious spare room. If Snow noticed her blush she didn't mention anything, which struck Anna as odd. Why was she on her best behavior now of all times? Curiouser and curiouser.

A click sounded as Anna presumed the door opened, it took everything in her to keep her head from snapping in the direction of the sound. Casually (or as casually as she could manage) she turned to look and saw Esmeralda in the doorway, one of her hands was extended back into the room as though she were offering it to someone. Obviously that person refused since she raised both of her hands in defeat and, with a smile, turned towards Anna and Snow.

Anna waved politely, mustering a smile as Esmeralda came into the room and sat on the other side of her. "You excited?" The words came out in a surprisingly friendly manner, despite the fact that they had only spoken a few times before.

"I'm terrible at art, honestly. But I'm more than willing to give it my best!" Anna replied cheerily, "What about you?"

Esmeralda waved a hand dismissively, "We do this all the time! It'll be fun though, I'm sure!"

Yet as Esmeralda spoke Anna's eyes shifted slightly from her face as another figure exited the room, the familiar white-blonde hair was in the same braided style that it had been the last two times she'd seen the woman. Despite that fact, she was no less stunning. She couldn't help it as she bit her lip for half a second, that simple action caused Esmeralda to turn around as well.

 _Rising from her seat Anna strode right over to Elsa, pulling her close and staring right up into those piercing blue eyes. Elsa melted in her arms, nearly swooning as she held onto Anna earnestly. "Kiss me." Anna greedily obliged, pressing her lips to Elsa's as a hand slid up the back of her shirt-_

"Excellent, shall we get started?" Snow asked, snapping Anna from her fantasy land.

Anna barely concealed the glower on her features as she sat surely looking like an idiot. Her mind's wheels began to turn and she asked, "Wait, shouldn't we be waiting on whoever is showing us all this stuff?" Very suddenly she found herself under the gaze of all three ladies. A flush crept into her cheeks and she was entirely unsure of why everyone was looking at her but she was feeling terribly insecure about it.

XXXXXXXX

The hour was growing late and the afternoon sun shone brightly through the uncovered windows and into the studio, blinding Esmeralda as she held the wooden stretchers still while Elsa worked diligently to affix the canvas to them. With each _thunk_ from the staple gun Esmeralda jumped a little less, Elsa had to insist multiple times that she wouldn't miss the stretchers before Esmeralda would agree to give her a hand. Despite how long they'd been at work with the material Esmeralda still looked quite uneasy.

"This is terrifying, why do you do this instead of buying them pre-made?" Esmeralda said with a wince as another two _thunks_ came in succession. "It's so much easier and there's so much less risk to my fingers!"

Raising the arm that held the staple gun Elsa wiped her forehead, a rouge bead of sweat had formed and begun to creep down toward her eyes until it was stopped by her sleeve. "I just like knowing that I put it together." she breathed, "Besides, it's cheaper if I do the work. You should be happy about that since you're funding this entire evening."

 _Thunk, thunk, thunk._ "I'd be a lot happier if those staples weren't coming out fast enough to go right through my hands!"

"This is the last one, chill out." One last staple and Elsa was able to lift the canvas up and check it for any imperfections. Finding none, she added it to the stack of others that they had prepared for the coming night. Heaving a great sigh Elsa leaned against the onyx colored counter top and smiled gratefully at Esmeralda. "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Of course you could have, you do this all the time." Esmeralda said, turning her hands over and double checking for any injuries.

Elsa laughed quietly, "I wasn't talking about the canvas, Esmeralda." she confessed, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "This whole night. You orchestrated it so that I had a chance to meet Anna. Even if nothing comes of it, which it won't, I'll be thankful just to stand on the sidelines and watch her be happy."

The words were so corny that she couldn't help laughing at herself. Clearly Esmeralda shared the sentiment, "What's gotten into you?" she scoffed, "You were moping and sulking a few weeks ago and now you're telling me you'll be happy to just see her be happy? With someone that _isn't_ you?That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard."

A quiet hum was all the response that Elsa could give her for the moment. Maybe it was absurd, but it was the truth as far as she was concerned. Her heart had ached for a while at first, an odd sensation given that she didn't even know Anna, but somehow she had managed to convince herself that this was a reality that she could handle. She would be Anna's friend, if Anna would have her, and that would be enough. It would have to be.

An hour later the pair had settled at the counter with delivery Chinese food, Elsa had given up attempting to use the chopsticks in favor of using a fork. Carefully spearing and dipping a piece of fried sweet and sour chicken she sighed happily.

"You don't seem anxious at all." Esmeralda said casually, skillfully using her chopsticks to bring some of her beef and broccoli to her lips. She continued speaking with a half full mouth, "Not that I'm complaining, but I really expected you to be freaking out at this point."

Elsa smiled warmly at her Styrofoam delivery container, "I have nothing to be worried about, I'm certain that I can make friends with her. Besides, this food is really hitting the spot!" The attempt to change the subject was a paltry one at best, but it was all she had for the moment.

"You shouldn't be worried. She likes you, I can feel it."

"She likes me?" Elsa scoffed, "Thin, hardly muscled, _female_ me? You're delusional."

"I've already put my pup's life on the line for this, I promise you that you'll feel some heat tonight. Just be charming and sweet like you are with me and she'll melt right into your floor." Esmeralda winked exaggeratedly before rising from her seat and tossing her takeout container in the trash.

Shaking her head, Elsa followed suit. "Even if she did" Elsa began, turning to face Esmeralda and crossing her arms over her chest, "What does she do about Mr. Muscles? I can't be the cause of a breakup like that. It's despicable to just steal her away like-"

"Steal her?" Esmeralda interrupted, stepping forward to grasp Elsa lightly by the shoulders. "If you were in a secure relationship would someone be able to sway your heart?"

Falling silent Elsa contemplated the idea. When she had been with Aurora no force in the world could have distracted her in the least. No sly charmer like Esmeralda could have ever even drawn her eye. She had been truly and deeply under a spell. Then, there was Aurora herself on the other side of the situation. Clearly she was not as invested in the relationship and her eyes had been drawn away from Elsa, albeit not easily if Elsa could believe what she had been told. Esmeralda could have a point. _Can I bring myself do do something like that to her though? Will she resent me later if I_ can _charm her away form him and she ends up unhappy? Will I resent myself?_

"Elsa."

Elsa's head snapped up to look into Esmeralda's eyes. She seemed concerned, but her smile was so kind and gentle that Elsa couldn't help but let her shoulders loosen up as she slumped into a more relaxed position. "I get it, I get it. Don't forget, you've promised yourself to me if this doesn't work out!"

A small series of knocks on the door sent Elsa slipping beneath and around Esmeralda's arms as she exited the small kitchen area, quickly closing the gap between herself and the door. She paused with her hand just over the door knob and took a deep breath before she put on her best smile and opened the door. Before her stood a familiar face, but not the one that she was expecting.

"Oh, hello there Snow. Come in, please." The words were polite but she had to pray that her forced enthusiasm seemed genuine enough.

"Sorry to be early hon, but Esmeralda said it would be fine if I got here to help set up. I'd hate to be a burden." Snow didn't seem bothered, so she had either pulled off the feigned happiness or Snow hadn't noticed.

Snow was cheerful, Elsa reflected, she hadn't just been playing the kind hostess at her party. It almost seemed as though she was bubbly and rosy cheeked at all times, at least every time that Elsa had seen her. Waving Snow in she smiled and shut the door, "Perhaps you would have been a better candidate to help with the canvases, Esmeralda was a bit skittish. She didn't trust my skilled hands I suppose." She couldn't be sure, but it seemed as though Snow's face flushed slightly at her words.

"I'm sure they are skilled, but it wasn't your hands I was worried about." Esmeralda pouted, "That staple gun is vicious, even if you do look hot using it."

Rolling her eyes at the comment, Elsa began doling out tasks. Esmeralda would set up the easels and chairs while Snow would help Elsa transport the paints, palettes, knives, and brushes that had been set aside for the evening. Esmeralda and Snow were doing most of the talking and Elsa was content to let it remain as such, quietly working at setting up each station to her liking until her movements stopped at the mention of Anna.

"-painting, but it should be fun for her." Elsa only caught part of what Snow had said, but she was certain that she'd heard Anna's name in there somewhere. She focused a little harder than she would admit on trying to overhear the rest of the conversation.

"You don't think she has enough skill for this?" Esmeralda asked. Elsa continued placing brushes as casually as she could on the small folding tables set beside each station.

"She's never been much for art, she may need a little _special_ attention."

Elsa swallowed hard at the thought, a palette knife shaking in her hand. Quickly she set it down and forced herself to finish her task as though she hadn't heard. Unfortunately Esmeralda wasn't one to let this opportunity like this pass by.

"Did you hear that Elsa? Anna will probably need more attention than we will." Esmeralda was smirking now, a mischievous glint had risen in her eyes. "You should probably focus more on her and we'll do our own thing."

"Is that so?" Elsa replied, feigning disinterest even as she, a little too hastily, turned to face the pair. "Well, with this small of a group I don't think that should be a problem. I can give each of you the attention you'll need."

Now Elsa held the upper hand in their little game, she winked at Esmeralda and was going to smile at Snow as well but the look on her face brought an uneasy feeling to Elsa's stomach. It almost looked as though Snow was passing some kind of judgment. Sometimes it was difficult to guess how others would react to Elsa and Esmeralda's antics. "O-or I could show you some thing now, Snow. Then you could help Anna. I don't know her very well after all." Elsa added, stumbling slightly over her words.

The innocent back-stepping caused Snow's rather serious facade to crack and she laughed. "Oh honey, she wants _you_ to teach her. I can promise you that."

A flush crept up into Elsa's pale cheeks, coloring them a rosy pink as she breathed a sigh of relief. She cleared her throat and looked a little more seriously at Snow now. Snow was close to Anna so she had to know about this mysterious boyfriend, but for some reason she was still acting as though Elsa had a chance? It was more than a little irritating. "I think she'd rather have someone else teach her, someone-"

"Elsa, shouldn't we get you into something more appropriate for tonight?"

Elsa found herself almost ready to glare at Esmeralda for interrupting her. Though, it had likely been for the best. There was no need to remind herself yet again that Anna wouldn't be interested – even if Esmeralda insisted that Anna would easily fall for Elsa if she were charming enough. Shaking her head and re-positioning a smile on her face she managed a nod.

"Excuse us, Snow. If Anna arrives, let her in would you?" Esmeralda said, practically pushing Elsa into the smaller room down the hall.

Truth be told it wasn't much of a room. A portable closet rack had been set up with various outfits that Elsa liked to wear when painting, as well as a few sets of regular clothing to wear when leaving the studio. A few shelves on the wall held various painting and cleaning supplies, the actual closet for the room was in a corner and held additional easels that had been prepared for larger classes. Rolls of canvas were leaned along one wall inside the closet, the wooden stretchers sat in a neat pile beneath them. Next to the closet was a small dresser with additional clothing. Along the wall was a larger sink, perhaps meant for washing paint off of brushes, and a mop bucket. Though it was being used as a storage area the size of the room suggested that perhaps it was intended to be either a temporary bedroom for nights when you worked too late or a small meeting room.

As the door clicked closed behind them Esmeralda leaned against it, her lips pulling back slightly in a displeased expression somewhere between a frown and a grimace. "Not so charming when you're afraid are you?" she said, a cheeky tone to her voice.

Elsa regarded her silently for a moment before shrugging her shoulders as though the action were any explanation for her behavior. "I'm not afraid. I know the outcome of tonight. But why would Snow suggest that? Does she not know that Anna is with a man?"

Esmeralda pinched the bridge of her nose, suppressing a laugh. "Yes, you know better than Anna's close friend, don't you?"

Leaving Elsa searching for words Esmeralda made her way to the small rack of clothes and fumbled with a few hangars, pressing different styles of painting outfits as well as regular clothing to the side until she reached the end. Beginning the process over again but from the opposite side Esmeralda searched for something that might attract the appropriate kind of attention. "Don't you have anything more low cut?" she said, absentmindedly gesturing to her own cleavage as she asked.

"Oh yes, let me just pull out the slutty dress I wear to impress my clients. What do you think this is, Esmeralda?" Elsa huffed, stepping forward to gently push her friend aside as she grabbed a pair of color stained jeans from a hangar. Sliding a few things to the side she also grabbed a white (or it had previously been white, now it was splotched with random colors here and there) tee shirt. "This will have to work, I'm not painting in regular clothes."

Esmeralda shook her head and snatched the shirt from Elsa's hands. "No, not this ratty thing. You can keep the jeans, they look cute like that. But this thing? Absolutely not! This should be burned."

Elsa sighed, nearly growling with frustration as she heard the front door open and close. "We can't stay here forever, that had to be Anna getting here. You wanted this art night, now let me get it started!" Her voice had started strong but by the end she was certain that she sounded like a petulant child.

Ignoring her dear friend Esmeralda crossed the room to the dresser, still holding the stained shirt hostage. The first drawer held nothing of particular interest, more stained shirts and a few that appeared to be unmarred as of yet. The second drawer was where Esmeralda would find her buried treasure. "Jackpot!" she said with a grin, "This will do just fine."

Elsa nearly grimaced as Esmeralda held up a tank top that had been dyed to look like the galaxy. Blues and purples and even black mingled together forming what looked to be an expanse of space, dotted with tiny white spots that seemed to be stars. "I love that top, I don't want to ruin it..." Elsa _did_ whine this time.

"Then you'll be extra careful. You won't be painting tonight anyway, you'll be overseeing us!"

She couldn't argue with the logic but that certainly didn't stop Elsa from trying to think of a good reason not to wear it. Eventually though the idea that Anna and Snow were awkwardly waiting for them to come back began to weigh heavily on her mind. "Fine, fine! Just go, okay?" she finally relented, shoving Esmeralda toward the door. Yet even as she did so Esmeralda still reached a hand back into the room, when Elsa glared at her the kind gesture morphed into one of surrender as Esmeralda retreated.

Finally alone she quickly changed and steadied her breathing. The night of frolicking that Esmeralda and Snow had planned would begin shortly and Elsa would have to be ready to hang on for the ride. Pulling her braid forward over her shoulder she sighed one final time before fixing a more neutral (and less nervous) smile on her face and exiting the room. Esmeralda was talking, but Elsa couldn't quite make out what she was saying.

"Excellent, shall we get started?" Snow asked, Elsa noted that her hands were up in front of her chest as though she were ready to applaud. She truly was a bundle of happiness.

And then without warning another voice sounded, "Wait, shouldn't we be waiting on whoever is showing us all this stuff?"

For a moment she couldn't help but stare at Anna, noticing that her beautiful freckled cheeks flushed with color as she spoke. It was clear that no one had told her that Elsa was the one that would be hosting this night – though why Elsa hadn't the faintest idea. The look of confusion on Anna's face set Elsa's heart to pitter-pattering in her chest, _This woman is something else._

Elsa couldn't suppress the smile that crept onto her lips as she took a step around Anna's easel and stood before her. Reaching out to grasp Anna's hand, Elsa bowed and kissed the hand she now held. "I see no one has told you." she said, releasing Anna's hand and resisting the urge to close the distance between them. "I'm Elsa, and I'll be glad to help you with any _stuff_ you'd be interested in. I'm at your service, use me as you see fit." A more charming smile graced her lips as she stood before Anna at last, _This will be interesting._ she thought as she watched Anna's cheeks deepen in color, _Very, very interesting._


	7. Before the Dawn

Chapter Seven: Before the Dawn

"I'm Elsa, and I'll be glad to help you with any _stuff_ you'd be interested in. I'm at your service, use me as you see fit."

Anna sat motionless on her stool. Stunned not only by the admittedly adorable hand kisses, but also by that last little phrase. Was Elsa trying to be flirtatious or was she just being polite?

Despite her best efforts to prevent the color from rising in her cheeks, the words (and the thoughts that accompanied them) deepened the shade of red invading her face. Her brain refused to cooperate as she tried to think of anything to say, _Come on, say something witty. Impress her!_

"O-okay." The word came out as almost a whine, was it getting warmer in here? _Real fucking smooth._ An awkward silence settled between them, and Elsa continued to smile politely despite Anna's lack of a true response.

"I think what she means to say that her name is Anna, and that she's pleased to meet you." Snow finally said, prompting a glare from Anna.

"Yes. Anna. My name is Anna." Oh yes, Anna was well on her way to charming the pants off of Elsa. Just a few more clumsy, short phrases and they'd be shooing the other two out of the studio as they made passionate love in the nearby seating area. Anna could hope, but the opposite was much more likely unless she was able to step up her game.

Thankfully Elsa either didn't take notice of the awkward speech pattern (that Anna seemed to have adopted specifically for the occasion) or she was polite enough to ignore it and move on with the evening. Elsa had asked them to take a moment to decide what they would like to paint, but Anna was trapped in her own little world. Her mind was occupied with trying to find some way to redeem herself without being overly obvious in her attempts to win Elsa over. In short, she had no time for deciding on something to paint.

It didn't seem like she would be lacking in opportunities to correct her first impression, however. Anna looked up to find Elsa watching her closely, gazing with something Anna couldn't quite place shining in her eyes. The look sent her heart into a frenzy, fluttering lightly in her chest as she reminded herself to breathe. Anna managed to smile in a way that she hoped looked at least mildly endearing before shyly averting her eyes and moving a rouge curl behind her ear.

Forest, island, mountains, who cared! Elsa had just been looking at her with... well, with something in her eyes and Anna assumed it was positive. Who honestly kisses hands anymore if they don't have romantic intentions, right?

Before she knew it the other two had already voiced their decisions, leaving Anna without the faintest idea of where to begin. The sheer volume of all the brushes, tools, and paint tubes was more than a little intimidating.

Panic gripped her as she realized that the others had already begun applying paints to their palettes. Her body tensed momentarily as she stared helplessly between Snow and Esmeralda, realizing that Elsa had been speaking and suggesting paint colors for them this whole time. Picking up her palette Anna hovered her hands over tubes of paint, still unsure what she wanted to attempt.

Every few seconds, Anna was having to brush back the curls that continually fell into her face. _Damn it, I left it at Kristoff's_ she thought as she reached to her wrist in search of a hair tie. Anna found herself mentally cursing Kristoff for not trying hard enough to convince her to just stick with the braids that she had originally done.

"Here, take one of mine." Elsa's voice startled Anna, but as she looked up she realized that Elsa was offering exactly what she needed. How could someone smile so sweetly?

Timidly Anna accepted, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. "Thanks."

"Having trouble deciding?" The more Elsa spoke, the more Anna found herself being affected by her voice. Was it normal to feel so weak just from someone speaking? Each word had begun to feel like a finger trailing gently down her spine.

"I should know since I've had so long to think, but it's different with all this white in front of me. I'm just not sure anymore." The admission was genuine, but Anna still wasn't finding it easy to be flirtatious and cute. The only solace was that she seemed to be forming coherent sentences, at least for the time being.

"I'm painting a little forest." Snow chirped, happily dabbing at the canvas with a brush, the bristles of which were tinted green.

"And what a beautiful little forest it is." Elsa praised, eying Snow's canvas with a small smile. "I can already tell that you'll be vying for the best painting of the night."

Anna felt her stomach tighten as jealousy reared it's head inside of her. _I'll give her something to be happy about._ Anna hastily grabbed some colors and put them as neatly as she could on the palette, mimicking the amounts that Snow and Esmeralda seemed to have used. Her hand hesitated as she looked for the right kind of brush, there were far too many shapes and sizes to make this an easy task. It was at that exact moment that Anna remembered that she had absolutely no idea what she was doing.

"Need some help getting started?"

Anna marveled for a moment at how helpful Elsa was being toward her. She couldn't help herself, her mind had already begun convincing her that the attention was because of something more than just her ineptitude at painting. Anna's heart sped it's pace as she stared up into those kind, blue eyes.

"Would you mind?" Anna's voice was quiet, but the slight waver in it rang out clear, all but announcing how nervous she was.

Anna watched as a small smile tugged at the corners of Elsa's mouth. Looking at a smile so genuine and kind, Anna could practically feel herself loosening up a little. Elsa reached over her for a brush, grazing Anna's hand along the way and causing Anna to twitch at the contact. The brush, she noticed, was wide and fat compared to the others. Elsa was supposed to be a pro though, right? No use in arguing with her if she knew what she was doing.

"Now, what did you want to paint?" Elsa asked cheerfully, pointing the brush at the canvas.

The question was an innocent one, but Anna's mind was still hopelessly filling itself with all manner of inappropriate thoughts. She could think of quite a few things she would rather be doing than painting, things she might actually have a chance of being quite good at if given the opportunity. Anna hardly had time to dwell on those thoughts, though. Elsa was still waiting for an answer.

"Um. A sunset?" The words came out as more of a suggestion than an actual answer, but Elsa's smile seemed to widen a little nonetheless. _Alright, one point for team Anna!_

"That may just be my favorite time of day. The colors are just so inspiring. I must confess, I often find myself daydreaming about running away into the sunset with a lover. Rather childish, isn't it?" Their eyes met and Anna felt herself squirm under Elsa's soft yet confident gaze as she continued to speak, "You'll want to start with a very thin coat of this then. Liquid clear."

Elsa applied some of the paint to Anna's palette and dragged some down to coat the bristles. Anna watched with a look of mild concern on her face as Elsa dragged the brush across the canvas in wide sweeps, only pausing occasionally to re-apply paint to the exhausted bristles.

"Won't that mess the other colors up?" Anna asked, feeling a little stupid once the words were out of her mouth. "Or do we wait for it to dry?"

"Of course not." Elsa chuckled, dipping the brush in water to clean it and hitting it on the easel leg a few times, "Clear won't do anything to the colors, except make them a little transparent that is. That's exactly what you want. You should probably begin with that bright yellow there. Then you'll add a little of this, and then a little crimson. If you like you can delve into deeper colors and add either of these blues near the peripheral to make it look a little closer to dusk." Elsa's hand extended, offering the brush to Anna.

Elsa was so calm, under her gaze Anna's skin felt as though it were on fire. Elsa was so close, but Anna saw no sign that she was nervous at all. _Of course she's not nervous, she does this all the time._

Anna's hand shook slightly as she reached uncertainly for the brush. For an instant they touched, but Elsa pulled away quickly. Anna was certain that her cheeks were as red as the blob of paint on her palette now, but she couldn't muster any concern over it. Perhaps if she was red enough, Elsa would just realize her feelings and take pity on her.

Elsa then gave vague instructions for methods to blend the colors, reminding Anna a few times that she should work quickly so the clear paint didn't dry while she over thought the painting.

"Just let it come naturally." Elsa said, standing behind Anna once more, "And don't forget, little x's will help you blend when you add more color."

Anna had scoffed when the words left Elsa's lips, but obediently went to work. Much to her surprise the image she was looking to invoke began to take shape, obscurely at first, but as more colors were added things began to become clear. Anna was grinning from ear to ear now, whispering excitedly at Snow to have her look at the attractive gradient of color that she was creating.

"Is everything alright?" Elsa asked from behind Snow, "Did you need some help?"

Anna could have swooned at the concerned expression on Elsa's face, but Snow quickly squashed the emotion right out of the moment.

"Don't mind her, Elsa. She's getting a little too big headed now that she's got some colors working." Snow teased.

"Oh yeah? Well mine will definitely be better than your silly little forest." Anna shot back, poking her tongue out at Snow. Which, in hindsight, was probably not as smart of an idea as she thought it was in the moment. Snow immediately retaliated.

"Really Anna's just trying to _impress_ you. The last time she painted anything she was finger painting." Snow said, stifling a laugh as she dutifully carried on with her own work, seeming rather pleased with herself.

Anna felt fingers press gently into her shoulders, it took a moment for her to brain to comprehend what exactly was happening. Elsa was leaning forward over Anna's shoulder, their faces just level with one another.

"I've got plenty of ways we can involve your fingers, if you like." Elsa said quietly, her voice almost silky as the words tumbled from her lips.

Was that a note of seductiveness in Elsa's tone or had Anna imagined it? An involuntary shudder shook Anna's frame. A nervous laugh crossed her lips as her cheeks colored prettily at the suggestion and the mental images her brain conjured along with it. Yet try as she might, her tongue felt too heavy to issue a witty response.

The only small grace that she had during the entire interaction was her ability to suppress a small whine that attempted to escape as Elsa's hands left her shoulders. Elsa was moving on, or so Anna thought. In one fluid motion Elsa dipped her index finger in a single blob of white paint before dabbing a small circle in the center of the yellow.

"There." Elsa said with a wink at Anna, "Every sunset needs a setting sun."

Elsa's suggestive words had rocked Anna in a way that she couldn't have anticipated, but seeing her add to the painting made Anna unsure of how serious she was about the statement. _I have to say something. She's got me speechless, I'll look like an idiot if I can't even get a conversation started with-_

Anna's thought stopped abruptly as she watched Elsa saunter over to Esmeralda, leaving Anna a hot mess in her wake. The blonde was an enigma to Anna, the only thing she knew for certain was that Elsa was quick witted and unabashedly forward. If the words were sincere or all in jest, Anna still hadn't been able to decide.

Esmeralda on the other hand seemed easy enough to read. Esmeralda appeared almost like a puppy looking longingly at her master while gazing at Elsa. Anna watched with near deaf ears as the two easily quipped back and forth over the placement (or perhaps the color?) of a bush in Esmeralda's painting, eventually rendering both women pink in the cheeks.

A twinge of something akin to guilt ran through her heart as Anna looked on. It was so easy between the two of them that it almost felt intrusive to keep watching. Something had to be between them, there was just no way that kind of chemistry just flowed that easily between friends. _Or I'm being stupid and missing my chance by being so damn awkward!_ With a new found inspiration Anna resumed her painting, intent to impress Elsa or die trying.

"Don't be so sure of yourself, it's unattractive." Elsa teased, her last words a little louder than the others. With that, Elsa left Esmeralda's station and seemed to be heading to check on Snow.

"What if I want to add something? Like a mountain? What brush is good for mountains?" Anna's voice was a little stronger now, she felt closer to being sure about all this.

"Quick to try something new!" Elsa said, sounding simultaneously surprised and pleased. With a wink she added, "I like a woman who is willing to experiment."

She couldn't help it, Anna bit her bottom lip at the praise she received. Anna made sure to pay careful attention as Elsa picked up what looked like some kind of weird spatula from the tray before her. She found herself admiring the skilled way that Elsa's hands deftly guided the tool through black, then brown, then blue. Elsa pulled a tiny amount of each color out, then spread it onto a new place on the palette and mixed them all together.

"Why add the other colors? It still looks like it's just plain black." The words slipped out before Anna could think about them. Obviously there had to be a reason or else she wouldn't be doing it in the first place.

"Looks like I'll have to teach you a little patience." Elsa said, almost absentmindedly looking up into Anna's eyes. "Take this. You'll have to really press into the canvas, but just put it wherever you like. The mountain I mean."

Anna accepted the palette knife from Elsa tentatively, her stomach tight as her mind conjured images of a few ways she might like Elsa to teach her something about patience. Hovering over the canvas, Anna's hand froze as an uncertain look crossed her face. Her brows furrowed and her tongue poked out between her lips as she angled the knife this way and that, attempting to decide where she needed to start things off.

"If you like I can help you a little with this part, is that alright? Or do you prefer to handle things on your own while I watch?"

"Why don't you guide my hand and we'll see what's comfortable?" Anna's eyes widened impossibly at her own brazen words, but it was too late to break the eye contact now. She was helpless under Elsa's intent gaze.

XXXXXXXX

The night was progressing, but whether it was going well or not Elsa couldn't quite say. Anna seemed to blush easily, either that or Elsa was actually getting to her. Judging on reactions alone though it could very well have been as Elsa expected, just a straight girl getting flustered by another woman hitting on her. Anna wasn't necessarily going out of her way to show that she was disinterested, but women were notoriously hard to read.

 _One of the many perks of being a lesbian. You never know if someone is actually interested or just being friendly unless they make some grand gesture_.

Elsa was struggling to find the balance between charming and professional. She wanted to make a good first impression if things were as she expected, but if there was a chance that she could win Anna's heart... Elsa shook the thought, letting her hopeful heart get the best of her at this point in the night could be the difference between having Anna in her life and losing the opportunity to even be friends. Not every woman enjoyed being hit on, after all.

Dropping hints, gentle touches, even bold words escaped her as she attempted to discover how Anna felt. Elsa was certain she was doing everything that she could (short of getting nude before the woman) to attract her eye. Yet nothing seemed to be earning her more than a few polite words, a smile, and a pretty blush across those wonderfully freckled cheeks.

The endeavor to win Anna over was quickly becoming overwhelming. Not even her ill advised quip about getting Anna's fingers involved seemed to pull out much of a reaction. It was entirely possible that no matter what she said or did, Anna wouldn't give her a second glance. Esmeralda was clearly wrong in this situation and Elsa couldn't wait to tell her that.

Still, Elsa found herself in need of a respite, she needed to move away and re-group. She needed to re-formulate her plan and come back with a smarter course of action. As casually as she could manage, Elsa retreated to Esmeralda's easel. Rather than the comfort she sought, she was immediately greeted by Esmeralda's signature teasing remarks.

"You're failing miserably." Esmeralda uttered in a sing-song whisper, continuing to add little details here and there on the canvas.

"Shut it." Elsa's voice was perhaps more harsh than it normally would have been, she found herself feigning a smile and leaning nearer so that they might not be overheard. The content of their conversation would surely not be anything that Elsa would like to have Anna overhear. "You're completely wrong about her, I hope you know that."

"Seems like she's not picking up on your flirting." Esmeralda stifled a giggle, "Maybe if you took your top off she might piece together that you're trying to get her attention?"

"Surely you're not going to put anything there?" Elsa critiqued, changing the subject before she said something stupid. As much as she loved Esmeralda's help and friendship, Elsa was more than ready to swat her for her commentary. In present company, however, such an action might not be advisable.

"Why not? This stream clearly needs a little bush nearby."

"But that color? The rest of your trees look a little more like it's autumn. But you're loading up on green?" Elsa crossed her arms over her chest defensively, looking at Esmeralda as though she were suggesting wearing a tutu over a suit.

Esmeralda turned on her stool to face Elsa "Are you saying that you would rather see a little red bush here?" A mischievous grin split her mouth as she stared Elsa down.

Elsa felt that her cheeks might light themselves aflame at the comment, but she refused to break eye contact. She would not be the first to back down. "Would you rather have it be a nice golden color?"

It was Esmeralda's turn to flush this time, she couldn't even maintain eye contact with Elsa. Frowning as she whipped back around to her painting, Esmeralda huffed. "Shouldn't you be working? We're all nearly done here."

Esmeralda sounded a little sour, but Elsa was satisfied with the results that her little comment had rendered and relented. She had won the battle, but not the war. Elsa would certainly pay for that little comment later.

"Yes, back to my hopelessly failing quest."

"I think you're not giving yourself enough credit. The way she's blushing? She's definitely interested."

"Don't be so sure of yourself, it's unattractive." Elsa teased.

Forcing herself to return to the real world Elsa began to pace back towards Snow's easel. Yet before she could reach her destination Anna requested further assistance, and with a new technique that Elsa could teach her no less. Elsa's stomach did a small flip inside her belly, was this a sign that Anna desired Elsa to be close to her or just that she felt like she needed help?

As she complimented Anna's bravery Elsa felt her cheeks begin to heat, the sight of Anna biting her lip was overwhelmingly cute. Attempting to hide the little color in her cheeks Elsa leaned forward and began mixing the paint, responding to Anna's few queries along the way. Determined to give it one last shot Elsa decided to goad Anna again.

"If you like I can help you a little with this part, is that alright? Or do you prefer to handle things on your own while I watch?"

The seconds that passed between Elsa's question and Anna's inevitable answer felt like minutes. Elsa's stomach turned anxiously. _Have I said the wrong thing?_ Elsa did her best to maintain her confident air, making eye contact with Anna and smiling softly.

"Why don't you guide my hand and we'll see what's comfortable?"

The words hit Elsa like a bus crashing wildly into a brick wall. Her cheeks immediately lit up and her smile widened, she had to reign in her expression as one eyebrow tried to raise at Anna's response. This had been what she was waiting for, right?

Anna's eyes seemed alight with something, interest? Desire? Elsa didn't care, she'd gotten her answer and it seemed clear enough. Anna may not have been sure of herself, but it seemed like she was at least open to Elsa's actions.

Ironically, Elsa found herself a little less confident with this new information. Deciding that she couldn't allow her new found insecurity to become obvious, Elsa stood at Anna's side and wrapped her hand around Anna's, swallowing hard. "I'm going to press into the canvas, you just guide the knife wherever you'd like it."

Anna did so, beautifully. As the mountain made itself seen, Elsa's face had come close to Anna's – it was then Elsa noted that Anna's breathing was uneven. That was either a great sign or a terrible one.

As the knife came to a stop Elsa had to force herself to release Anna's hand in a timely fashion. It wouldn't do to hold her hand hostage when Elsa still wasn't entirely sure what actions Anna would and wouldn't tolerate.

"There, easy right?" she said, forcing a laugh to hide the shakiness of her voice.

Anna's laugh sent butterflies into Elsa's chest, and when Anna responded Elsa thought the tables might be turning as she felt her knees grow weak. "I think that I should let you lead my hand more often, I'll get to your skill level in no time with your help."

Elsa fought to suppress a groan, her mind was making it difficult to focus on anything other than Anna's lips. "We'll need to use another brush, otherwise you won't get that mountain to look like a mountain."

Handing Anna a two inch brush, the two easily slipped into the same stance as before. Elsa expertly guided her hands once more, dragging the brush from just below the top edge of the mountain downward and giving the mountain more height.

"You'll need to highlight now." Elsa's voice was breathy, almost nervous as it came out. "This, and this together will give you a nice color for it." She had gestured to the colors, but made no motion to mix them for Anna this time.

Anna was a fast learner it seemed, for she grabbed a new knife and, albeit a little clumsily, mimicked the actions that Elsa had shown her before and headed for the easel looking confident. Elsa, however, darted a hand out and stopped her before she could make contact with the canvas.

"Was that not right?" Anna asked, looking a little deflated at having been stopped. "Do I need to mix it more?"

Elsa was losing her self control as she took in the look on Anna's face. Concerned, but clearly receptive to any knowledge that Elsa was willing to impart. _Oh the things I could teach you._ They would have to finish this quickly if Elsa was to maintain her semi-professional air, her mind was no longer under her rational control.

"You're doing splendidly, but this part is a little different than before..." Elsa was face to face with Anna now, eyes trained on Anna's. "You'll want to just barely drag that across the canvas over the shape of the mountain." Elsa raised her hand to Anna's face and she grazed her fingertips across the woman's cheek, "Like you might caress a lover's face just before you kiss."

Her words were nearly whispered now, and to her surprise Anna hadn't broken their eye contact yet. For that Elsa was thankful. It gave her time to note the particular shade of Anna's eyes: almost a turquoise blue, not quite teal, not quite blue or green alone but a wonderful blend. The shade of a bright ocean on a clear, sunny day.

But a moment could not last forever, Elsa felt a hint of guilt build inside of her as she heard Anna audibly swallow. Anna finally looked away, prompting Elsa to retreat hastily. Feeling shameful at having lost control so easily, Elsa forced a nervous smile as Anna glanced at her once more before doing as she was told.

"Wow! It looks almost real." Anna marveled, with just a few strokes of the palette knife, her painting had become so much more realistic.

Elsa stayed quiet for the rest of the evening, answering questions here and there for Esmeralda and Snow. Anna, too, had quieted and did not request any more assistance. Elsa fretted internally, _I've gone too far. I was too forward. She'll probably never speak to me again. I'm sure she thinks I'm a creep now. Fuck!_ She wanted nothing more than to lock herself away in the storage room and hide for the rest of the evening.

It wasn't long, however, before they had all finished. Snow and Esmeralda chatted quietly behind Anna's easel and Elsa pushed herself out of her worry mode and back into hostess mode. "Everyone did excellent work, you can leave these here to dry and pick them up when you'd like. I assume that everyone who needs it has my number?" she asked, looking pointedly at Snow and avoiding Anna's gaze.

"I don't."

Elsa's eyes turned to Anna, the surprise on her face was likely plain for all to see but she couldn't have hidden it even if she had tried. Anna was asking for her number! _It's just for the paintings. Just to get the painting later. Don't panic, don't freak out._

"Sending it to you now!" Snow said, her cheery voice lifting Elsa back out of her fearful mindset.

Goodbyes were said (a handshake for Snow, an awkward wave for Anna, and a tight hug for Esmeralda) and Elsa found herself leaning with her back against the door to her studio. Clearly the night had not gone according to plan. Anna only seemed to be mildly intrigued by Elsa despite her best efforts.

The reality couldn't have been more clear to Elsa now: Anna would never be hers in any romantic sense. Elsa began feeling irritated with herself, how could she have already convinced herself that she could live with just being Anna's friend? _Can I really do this?_

XXXXXXXX

Anna once again found herself sandwiched between Snow and Esmeralda as the three of them made their way outside. They stopped beneath a streetlight giving off a slightly yellowed glow.

"That was fun, huh?" Anna suggested, attempting to discourage an awkward silence from falling over them.

Snow's expression wasn't easily deciphered, at least not at first. As soon as she spoke, however, it was very clear that she was pleased. "Tons of fun! We really should do it again sometime. Elsa was a wonderful hostess, wasn't she?"

"She's fantastic." Esmeralda gushed, raising a hand to her cheek as she smiled fondly.

Anna was reminded quite suddenly of the reality of her current situation: it was highly possible that she would have competition for Elsa's attention in the form of a close friend who had yet to confess her love. Feeling a little defensive, Anna found herself clamming up while Snow and Esmeralda carried on.

"Is she always that captivating?" Snow's cheeks were just the lightest shade of pink as she asked, appearing rapt as she waited for Esmeralda to divulge more information.

Esmeralda crossed her arms over her chest, smiling widely. "Of course she is, she learned from the best!"

 _Of course, what else would her friend say about her?_ Anna mused, but her thoughts were halted the instant Esmeralda began to speak again.

"You should see her first thing in the morning, she's much more of a tease when she's just woken up."

So Esmeralda had slept in the same general vicinity as Elsa, no big deal. Right? Friends stay the night with other friends all the time, Anna couldn't count the number of times she'd stayed at Snow's after a party. Obviously something similar had happened here, they hadn't slept together. Definitely not. Something about the mere idea of Esmeralda and Elsa in the same bed made her feel ill.

"I'm a little surprised she was so forward with Anna, but knowing you I'm sure you've rubbed off on her."

Snow and Esmeralda shared a laugh, "You could say that. It's odd really, she hasn't been so comfortable with other people in quite a while, I'm a little surprised to be honest. Having her open up around you guys when you're basically strangers was very lucky. Something about you two has to have piqued her interest."

The words were simple, but Anna suspected they had some kind of hidden meaning. Why did Esmeralda have to be so vague, couldn't she just say what she meant? Anna resisted the urge to roll her eyes, for some reason she was simply not very open to hearing Esmeralda's opinion on anything right this moment.

"Good." It had escaped her mouth before she had even registered that she was speaking, sounding a little rude considering the current topic.

Both Esmeralda and Snow peered at her, looking somewhat confused by her sudden and unclear statement. Feeling the heat beginning to rise in her cheeks, and desiring nothing more than to quell it, Anna desperately grasped at straws to change the subject.

"I think we should get together at my place sometime soon, get to know one another a little more you know?" Anna said, regretting every syllable as they poured from her lips.

Snow's face lit up. "Oh Anna, that sounds fantastic! Looks like Elsa's been a good influence on you." Snow turned to Esmeralda and mock-whispered behind a hand held up to her mouth, "Anna's been a little on the socially absent side for a while too, looks like we'll get to see both of them come out of their shells again at the same time!"

"It looks like Anna could really use some loosening up!" Esmeralda teased, giving Anna a gentle shove, "You looked pretty tense in there, does people being close make you uncomfortable?"

"How could it? If I was uncomfortable with people being too close I'd never get along with Snow."

The confession from Anna caused Snow to throw an arm around her neck and laugh heartily into the night. "Anna was just nervous around Elsa I'm sure."

Unable to stop her body, Anna tensed at the suggestion and grew defensive. "Hey, I was just trying to be polite!"

"Were you not interested?" Esmeralda asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I-interested?" Anna stammered, her hands found one another in front of her body as she stood feeling a little accosted by the sudden question. Did Esmeralda suspect that she had feelings for Elsa?

"I guess you did say that painting wasn't your thing, but if you genuinely didn't like it we don't have to do it again. I'm sure Elsa would be relieved to not have to play teacher for us the next time that we get together."

 _Painting, of course she means painting. I wasn't that obvious, was I?_

"Anna might like it if Elsa were to play teacher."

Anna's head turned to Snow so quickly that she was certain she had given herself whiplash. " _Snow_." she hissed, suddenly thankful for the yellow hue of the light streaming from above. In that light, her blush might not be as evident.

"I think anyone might, Elsa is wonderful to look at." Esmeralda replied thoughtfully, seeming to have ignored Anna's embarrassment. "Anyway! I'd better get going, it's late and I've got a breakfast shift in the morning. Good seeing you two, Anna I hope to get an invite to that little get together sometime soon!"

Anna and Snow stood waving silent goodbyes to Esmeralda as she drove into the night. The momentary silence was peaceful, but it wouldn't last.

"So, what do you think?"

"What do I think? I think my sunset scene turned out way better than your sad little forest. You didn't even have any animals." Anna crossed her arms over her chest, preparing for the inevitable.

"I mean about Elsa." _Ah. There it is._

"Elsa? She was..." _Intelligent? Beautiful? Knowledgeable? Eloquent?_ "...she was nice."

"Nice? That's all you've got to say? She was hitting on you in case you didn't notice, honey. Even I was turning red the way she was speaking to you, no feelings on all of that? Or maybe on how you shot her down?"

Snow had clearly been behaving while in the studio so that she could unleash it all on Anna the moment that they were alone. Anna almost found herself wishing that Snow hadn't held back, it may have made things go a little more smoothly. "I never shot her down! I just didn't really obviously show her that I wanted her."

Snow pinched the bridge of her nose, "Was that not the whole point of tonight? To try and get a dialogue started between the two of you? I know you better than to think that you just didn't have anything to say."

"So?" Anna barked, "What does it matter? I can't be good for her anyway. I'll probably just fuck things up. I don't even know how to carry on in a normal relationship, let alone in a relationship with another girl!"

The admission brought a heavy note to the evening air, leaving the pair standing in an awkward silence. Anna knew her cheeks were pink now and she could feel the burn of tears trying to form at the back of her eyes. Snow probably understood her internal struggle between her desires and her fears, but Anna was finding it difficult to reason through them on her own.

She felt shame welling up inside of her as she struggled with all the feelings that whirled in her heart. How could she not be interested in Elsa? The woman was positively gorgeous, quick witted, and clearly talented. Granted, Anna didn't know much more about her at the moment, but she was more than interested in learning everything that she could.

Anna was having trouble coping with the idea of possibly leading Elsa along while she essentially experimented in a lesbian relationship. Yet, Anna would have no way of knowing if she would be leading Elsa along until she was actually with her. Things could work out for the best, certainly, but it was just as likely that Anna would end up more confused than she was now and would hurt Elsa in the process. That was just unacceptable.

"I think that I'm feeling something for Elsa." Anna finally confessed, moving to run her fingers through her curls and realizing that she still had Elsa's hair tie. She still had an excuse to see Elsa again, no matter what she decided to do going forward. "I haven't done this before, okay? She's obviously very attractive and I'd have to be a complete idiot to say I'm not interested in her, but what do I do from here? Was I supposed to fall into her arms the first night?"

Snow only raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, she hardly looked amused despite Anna's attempt to lighten the mood. "I wouldn't say that, but you'll have to do a little more than stammer and blush like a giddy schoolgirl. You've got to let her know or she'll never see your true intentions."

"I'm scared, Snow. I don't want to hurt her and I don't want to get hurt either." There was no fighting the few tears that streamed down Anna's cheeks. Anna felt herself be taken into Snow's arms and she returned the hug immediately.

"Let's get you home, okay? You'll figure out what you want in time, just..." Snow paused, beginning to lead Anna to her car, "...just don't miss your moment, alright?"

 **a/n: Thank you all very much for your continued support! I couldn't have thought so many people would be keeping up with this story when I started writing, but I hope you will continue to enjoy it!**


	8. The Nearness of You

Chapter Eight: The Nearness of You

 _'Hey Elsa, this is Anna! Can I come by tonight to pick up that painting?'_

Elsa stared blankly at the message on her phone. Leaning back in her chair she brought her left hand to her mouth, partially obscuring the giddy smile on her face. She bit her thumb gently and, brimming with excitement, she realized that she was having to consciously think about breathing to perform the simple act.

Since that night at the studio Elsa hadn't heard from Anna at all, granted it had only been a few days, but it still made her anxious. There were so many things that she had said, both on purpose and without thinking, that could have dissuaded Anna from seeing or even speaking to her again. Elsa was positively thrilled to know that she hadn't screwed things up as badly as she thought she had.

Another glance at the message and Elsa nearly swooned, she knew that being excited over something so simple was foolish but it couldn't be helped. The message had been sent to her number directly. No Snow or Esmeralda attached. Though the message was brief it was hers and hers alone, and with it came the promise of seeing Anna again. Perhaps things would be different this time.

 _'I look forward to it.'_ she tapped out, bringing her phone to her chest as she sighed contentedly. Nothing could possibly bring her spirits down today.

"I don't think I've ever seen you smile before."

Elsa shot up, back straight in her chair at the sound of the somewhat familiar voice. The action sent her present company into a fit of quiet giggles.

"I didn't mean to startle you, my apologies." The woman confessed, adjusting the pile of books in her arms.

Feeling a little foolish at her behavior in such a public place, Elsa grimaced slightly. "Not necessary, I'm the one who spaced out after all."

As she smiled at the woman struggling beneath the weight of numerous books Elsa began to feel guilty. "Here, let me help you with those."

Slipping her phone into her pocket, Elsa rose from her seat and rather clumsily shifted some of the books from the other woman's arms and into her own. A thick tome nearly toppled to the floor in the process, but Elsa was quick and balanced it on the top of her own pile.

"Thanks, we're short staffed today."

"Oh, you work here? I thought perhaps that you were doing some incredibly in depth research on..." Elsa glanced at the spines of a few of the books in her arms as she trailed behind: _Animals of Arendelle, Taming Your Inner Beast,_ an encyclopedia beginning at the letter 'W', _Mythical Beings and Where They Can Be Located,_ and at the very top of her stack a rather juicy looking romance novel _The Untamed_. "...werewolves?"

Elsa noted that the woman looked a little flustered as she placed books in their intended homes. Elsa took note of her soft face framed by wavy chestnut brown hair. Her eyes were nearly the same shade as her hair, but they had a little more warmth to them. Almost as if they were tinted with honey, they seemed to shine. Her cheeks were flushed the slightest shade of pink.

"Where are my manners? I'm Elsa. Forgive me, but have we met before and not been introduced? What you said before, I feel like I should know you."

"Well, not exactly. I guess I can't expect you to recognize me. Typically you come in already engrossed in a novel so you wouldn't see me. You pass right by me at the front desk every time you're here. Sometimes I pass by while you're reading in here too." she explained, wincing as she realized how eerie her explanation may have seemed, "That sounded much more cool and much less creepy in my head, I swear! I'm Belle."

Feeling another pang of guilt, Elsa motioned for Belle to take a seat at a nearby table, even going so far as to pull her chair out for her. "You'll have to excuse that, I tend to get dragged into the action and tune everything else out. I must confess, I feel a little foolish knowing that I never even bothered to learn your name. I apologize Belle. I'm glad to know it now, though."

Belle waved a hand in the air, laughing, "Oh no, I don't expect it really. No one bothers to learn the librarian's name. You're the only person I see in here on a regular enough basis to recognize anyway."

A soft smile crossed Elsa's face and she shook her head. "I should think anyone would be pleased to learn your name, I'm simply oblivious. So, you are the one who presides over this magnificent collection of literature? How exciting it must be to have so many worlds available to you at any given time." Elsa's smile widened as she leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You would be surprised how few people see it that way."

Belle seemed to frown at the thought, but Elsa quickly remedied the situation. "Then they are worse off for their lack of intelligence and imagination. Truly, I could die happy in this library."

"It would be better for me if you didn't. I'd hate it if I didn't see my only regular here again."

"I truly am sorry that we haven't spoken sooner. I have been frequenting this library for nearly eight months now and I completely overlooked you." Elsa admitted, feeling guilty over her lack of friendliness. "I wasn't in the best mindset when I started coming here..."

Belle waved a hand in the air dismissively, "It's really not a big deal, I'm just happy that I finally know your name! So, what is it that you do when you aren't devouring thousand page novels here?"

"I'm an artist." Elsa spoke the words neutrally.

The reveal was always hit or miss, but judging by the way Belle's eyes lit up she could see this would be a positive encounter. What a relief it was to not have to defend herself and her choice of career.

"How romantic! You must have men banging down your door, being a librarian sort of sifts out the wrong sort for you..."

Elsa laughed, "'I'm sure there are some interested parties, but the men don't generally catch my eye."

Another carefully phrased sentence, this admission was the real test. But as Belle's wide eyes grew wider still at the realization, her immediate apologies told Elsa that this would be an all around positive interaction.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't realize. I mean how could I?" Belle paused, her hands meeting atop the table and fingers interlacing nervously. "Well, now that I do know, do you think-"

 _Ting_. The chime of the bell at the front counter sounded in the quiet library, Belle's face fell as she glanced back toward the counter. "I'm sorry, looks like someone's ready." she apologized, quickly standing, but not moving anywhere immediately.

"It's very unfortunate that I won't be able to spend more time with you today, Belle. The pleasure has been all mine," Elsa said, standing and dipping her head in Belle's direction. "I'm sure that we'll see one another again very soon."

"I hope so."

Pushing her hands into her pockets, Elsa strolled calmly out of the library. For the first time in forever she had no books in her arms, no distractions for the coming night to keep the intrusive, negative thoughts at bay. No, this evening she was in for a wonderful new distraction. Anna was coming to see her.

XXXXXXXX

Esmeralda paced the floor of Elsa's studio while Elsa sat in the recliner nearby. She had been at it for at least five minutes and Elsa had begun to grow weary of the little display. "Why don't you sit?" she suggested, her agitation clear in her tone, "Or at least tell me why you've decided to show up unannounced wear a rut into my floor?"

While she hadn't heard from Anna about a specific time, Elsa had been on guard and ready since the moment the sun had begun it's decent across the horizon. 'Tonight' was so vague, it could literally mean any time at all. Though she had plenty of projects that she could be working on, she found her hands and mind were too jittery to focus on anything other than the impending arrival of Anna.

"You said she was coming, so where is she?" Esmeralda asked, finally pausing her movements to look at Elsa.

She appeared concerned, Elsa could see that Esmeralda clearly was worried about what would happen when Anna arrived. She may not voice it, but the signs were clear, Esmeralda was perhaps the only person who cared for her deeply enough to worry like a mother when situations like these arose.

"Esmeralda, she'll be here eventually. She said tonight, so sometime before midnight I would assume. Any time after that would be tomorrow so..."

Saying it aloud brought a queasy feeling that settled in the pit of Elsa's stomach. Perhaps Anna hadn't given her a specific time because she wasn't sure if she would really be coming or not. The thought was quickly squashed with logic, why bother reaching out to Elsa if she wasn't going to show up?

"Kind of rude, don't you think? Keeping you waiting all night? What are you going to do if she doesn't show?" Esmeralda frowned as she spouted off the volley of queries.

"Just calm down, alright?" Elsa growled in frustration, sighing loudly as she pushed herself out of the recliner. "You're causing me more distress than I can handle right now. The doubt I'm creating for myself is already weighing heavily enough on my mind, I don't need any more of a reason to think that things won't be just fine."

Elsa watched as guilt hardened Esmeralda's expression, "Are you sure you can do this?" Esmeralda asked, her brows furrowing in concern.

The truth of the matter was, Elsa had been certain until the moment that she introduced herself to Anna. She had been absolutely positive that no matter what Esmeralda said, she would be happy to be Anna's friend and nothing more if that were what the fates had decided for her. She would have been elated to watch from the sidelines as Anna married and had children, perhaps Elsa would even get to be their godmother if the friendship was strong enough.

 _My heart is so weak._ The thought pressed into her mind as her memories dragged her back, the electricity she felt when her eyes settled on Anna's gave her chills. And her heart, oh her hopelessly romantic heart, was wracked with doubt and fear and the tiniest sliver of hope when Anna finally seemed to open up. Anna was too perfect and kind to fall for a broken soul like Elsa, she knew, but Elsa fell so hard and so fast that it frightened her.

Once again she had to come to terms with the knowledge that they may have missed this fated connection a second time. "Of course I can, do you doubt me?"

Esmeralda rolled her shoulders, defensively crossing her arms over her chest, "I don't doubt that you'll convince yourself that you'll be okay, but I know better. I can see it written all over your face, even now. It hurts you to think that she won't fall for you, but you also feel like you haven't really given things a good chance. You're good, but you're not good enough to have her head over heels for you in one night. Give yourself the chance you deserve."

Elsa found herself feeling foolish, she was well aware that life was nothing like the movies where people met and fell madly in love all in a night but something about Anna had sent her heart spiraling. "I'm giving myself a chance. I am, I swear it. I just..." she placed her hand over her forehead, sighing as she turned to look out into the continually darkening sky "I just have to be ready. In case...well, you know."

"You can't prepare for the worst and hope for the best. That works with storms and disasters but you know that it can't work like that for love. If you aren't open and ready for her when she's ready to come to you, you'll miss out on her altogether."

Sighing heavily as her eyes closed and her brows furrowed in defeat, Elsa finally relented and nodded in agreement with Esmeralda. She couldn't argue that she may be hurt again, if she planned to be hurt she wouldn't be able to really gauge how she was feeling. "As always, you've acted as the surprisingly logical voice of reason."

"I wouldn't say surprisingly, I'm your partner in crime. I've got to make sure you're on top of your game or we would both suffer. Giving you the wrong advice could make you hate me, and I couldn't bear the thought of that." Esmeralda threw one arm over her eyes and the other to the side, striking a dramatic pose for Elsa's amusement.

Instinctively Elsa closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms tightly around Esmeralda, holding her as if she were a lifeline keeping her afloat in a raging sea.

"Els, come on, you're squeezing the life out of me!" Esmeralda gasped, exaggerating only slightly.

Elsa loosened her grip, but still held tight. "Thank you. For everything."

The words were simple. To any outsider they may seem to lack depth, but there was something unspoken beneath the surface of them that they both just knew. Elsa found herself feeling very small in the moment, but she clung to Esmeralda all the same, relishing the moment when she felt an arm tighten around her and a hand on top of her head.

"You know it. Now let me go so I can get out of here before she gets here and sees this, that could royally fuck things up." Esmeralda teased, earning a playful glare from Elsa.

XXXXXXXX

As Anna strolled up the concrete sidewalk and beneath the all too familiar yellow light outside of Elsa's studio she found herself feeling surprisingly confident. Sure, Snow had to all but force her to contact Elsa earlier in the day; and sure, Anna had proofread the short message at least ten times before sending it; and sure, she had stared with bated breath at her phone as she awaited a response, but right now she was the embodiment of confidence.

She strolled through the entryway doors as though she had been there a thousand times, as though she belonged there. Anna even pressed the elevator button without having to look too hard for it. The instant the elevator doors slid open, however, all confidence was lost. She came face to face with a rather frazzled looking Esmeralda.

"Anna! What good timing!" Esmeralda said, flashing a brilliant and seemingly genuine smile as she stepped out of the elevator.

"Hello." Anna said, voice a little stiff as she stepped to the side and forced a smile to her face. "Fancy seeing you here."

For a moment, Esmeralda debated lying to Anna. There wasn't really a great reason that she had been there after all. She'd come for entirely selfish reasons, to make certain that Elsa understood what she was getting in to with this, the consequences and merits of opening her heart again. Even now, she wanted to draw this conversation out to see if Anna was really going to be the one to truly love Elsa.

"Just stopped by to remind her of a few things." Esmeralda said with a coy smile, unable to help herself.

"Well that's...that's good I guess."

Anna could have grimaced as a heavy, awkward silence fell between them. Esmeralda was still smiling as though she didn't notice, and that irritated Anna. How could she be so non-chalant at a time like this? Was she really just Elsa's friend or was there something more and she was confident that Anna was no threat?

"So what are you here for?" Esmeralda asked, forcing herself to sound casual despite her attempts to mine for information. She needed to know more about Anna, more about her intentions with Elsa and more about how she would treat her best friend.

"Just stopping in to pick up my painting." Anna sounded a little on edge, unintentionally of course, but she couldn't help it given the current circumstances.

"Oh? Kind of late in the day, you must have been quite busy. Do you work late or...?"

"Sometimes, but not today." Anna paused, her face turning from a mildly friendly smile to a questioning gaze as she mustered all her courage. "Listen, are you and Elsa..." she couldn't even bring herself to finish the sentence, let alone the thought. How she had even managed to speak that much of the sentence was still beyond her comprehension.

Esmeralda stared in silence for a moment, Anna couldn't tell what she was thinking this time but prepared herself for the worst. After all, it would be for the best if she knew before she went to see Elsa. Then Esmeralda began laughing, almost hysterically. She laughed so hard that after just a moment Anna could see tears glistening at the corners of her eyes.

"Oh god no." Esmeralda finally wheezed, straightening her posture and wiping away the stray tears on her cheeks "I'm not her type."

Anna couldn't help but wonder if the explanation was meant as a diversion or if it was the truth. Her body tensed as Esmeralda asked, "Why?"

"Just curious." Anna blurted out as quickly as she could.

"Curious?" Esmeralda smirked, "Well that's surprising to hear."

Narrowing her gaze Anna frowned at Esmeralda, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, you meant curious about my relationship with Elsa and not curious in general."

Anna flushed at the implication, but stood firm. "And you told me all that I needed to know."

"I'm glad."

"Glad?"

Esmeralda nodded, "Of course. You seem like a good person, Elsa needs more of those in her life. Just make sure you take good care of her, hm?"

Just like that Esmeralda was out the door, leaving Anna standing alone and feeling a little dumbstruck by the odd smile Esmeralda had as she turned away. Shaking her head, Anna turned around, pressing the button again and stepping into the elevator as the doors slid open. The ride was short, just as it had been the first time.

Unlike the first time she had begun to rebuild her confidence when she had entered the elevator, but she found that it was a fickle friend. As the doors slid open on the appropriate floor it felt as though all the breath had left her. This was it, she was about to see Elsa again. Alone.

Anna stood before the door to Elsa's studio once more, her heart hammering at her ribs as she debated leaving the hair tie and running when she knocked, abandoning the painting entirely. The thought of what Esmeralda might have to say to her if she were to simply avoid the situation entirely was just the push that she needed, however. Anna raised her hand and knocked firmly, immediately regretting it as she stood nervously before the door.

Elsa had barely managed to will herself away from the doorway before a knock sounded on the wood. Frustrated, knowing it was Esmeralda returning to further goad her about her impending miserable failure, Elsa turned back and wrenched the door open, "Look Esmeralda I'm not in the mood-"

A look of horror crossed her face as she looked slightly downward at Anna. She was a vision. Messy braids framing her freckle dusted cheeks, eyes wide (perhaps in fright) at Elsa's behavior. It took Elsa a moment to regain her composure and correct the greeting.

"I'm so sorry, Anna. I thought you were..." she paused, waving a hand in the air, "Please, come in."

Elsa looked around as if she were a meerkat taking in her surroundings, searching for anything that might be embarrassing. Seeing nothing that shouldn't be there she turned back to face Anna, who had stepped inside just enough for Elsa to close the door behind her. As the door clicked shut, Anna finally began to speak.

"I um. I brought this back." Anna held her hand out with the hair tie in her open palm, shaking ever so slightly as she waited for Elsa to take it.

Brows furrowing, Elsa exhaled through her nose in amusement as she looked bewildered at Anna. "You kept track of this hair tie and actually returned it?" she asked, plucking it skillfully from Anna's hand before crossing her arms over her chest. "I find that a little difficult to believe."

Anna found herself struggling not to squirm under Elsa's questioning gaze, she curled her hand into a ball and let it drop to her side once the item had been removed. "Ah, well. I figured since I was picking up my painting I should bring it back. Besides, I never really even thanked you." she began, hardly believing that she was speaking to Elsa so easily. "So, thank you for all of your help. I wouldn't have been able to finish without you."

Elsa regarded the woman for a moment, eyes trailing from her face to her feet and back in one quick sweep. Though Elsa was still feeling guarded, she could tell that Anna was enough at ease to speak freely. It seemed like at the very least Anna would allow them to form a friendship. The thought was inspiring to Elsa, who was more than ready to begin cultivating this new relationship.

"Would you like something to drink?" Elsa asked, her body language relaxing as she put on her best smile. "I was going to have a little wine, but if you're in a hurry..."

"Wine would be great." Anna answered quickly, though why she agreed when she would eventually have to get home she couldn't say.

Feeling more than relieved as Elsa seemed to loosen up, Anna attempted to keep the conversation going. "So, where did you get all of these paintings on the wall?" she asked, pacing toward the first of many and attempting to look as though she had some knowledge of what exactly she should be appreciating in the work.

Glass clinked as Elsa set down a pair of wine glasses (normally used for the ever popular painting and drinking nights that she hosted) and opened the refrigerator to select a bottle. The wine was nothing fancy, to be sure, but it would taste alright and give her a little bit of a buzz to help her interact with Anna.

"Those? They're all mine." Elsa said with little emotion about the statement.

The glasses were carefully portioned in small amounts and Elsa made her way to stand alongside Anna, who seemed to be enamored with one painting in particular. Elsa watched as Anna's eyes slowly traveled over the snow covered mountain, following the slopes down to the icy lake below. A soft smile pulled Elsa's lips upward and she looked upon Anna with fondness as she offered the glass.

Accepting the glass, Anna muttered her thanks before returning to the painting. "You really did all of these?" she asked, taking a small sip out of her glass.

"No." Elsa said, but when Anna turned to look at her with confusion on her face Elsa broke down as laughter bubbled up from her throat. "Of course I did. I wouldn't be able to call myself an artist if I didn't practice in my free time."

Anna forced a laugh, feeling a little insecure now that she realized how silly her question must have sounded to Elsa. She wrapped one arm around her chest and took another sip. _If I can keep talking to her this easily I might be able to tell her..._

"Don't feel bad." Elsa said quietly, grinning into her wine glass, "Most people ask when they arrive. It's completely normal. Something about being surrounded by works of art makes people get this look of..." she paused, shaking her head. "I apologize, I was about to start rambling."

"No, no!" Anna insisted, "Please, what were you going to say?"

"I guess you could call it wonderment. The look just spreads on their face when their eyes take in something that someone has created. Internally they know it's nothing more than pigments on fabric, but when everything is put together like this it changes their perspective."

"Beautiful." Anna said, no longer looking at the painting.

Her eyes looked over Elsa's face, taking in the inspired smile, the way the moonlight streaming in from the windows made her hair almost glow in a way that the low, artificial light of the room could never re-create. She was beautiful, and Anna had just received the smallest glimpse into what kind of person she was beneath it all.

"Thank you, I do the best that I'm able to." Elsa finally said, turning to realize that Anna had been staring at her.

Elsa flushed and cleared her throat, smiling shyly over the rim of her glass. Now that Elsa had dropped the maximum charm tactics Anna seemed more at ease, she noted. Maybe that had been the issue, or perhaps the presence of Snow and Esmeralda. Elsa wasn't sure, but she was thrilled to be testing her theory.

Taking a larger drink of her wine Elsa smiled sheepishly at Anna, "You'll have to forgive me for the other day. You're quite attractive and I thought perhaps..." she left the sentence hanging for a moment, unsure if Anna would address it or leave it be. When there was no response, Elsa continued, "I tend to be around Esmeralda frequently, we have an... interesting rapport as I'm sure you've seen."

The information was unnecessary and perhaps more than Anna needed, but Elsa felt that if she offered some justification that Anna wouldn't be quite so offended. She was greeted by more silence, leading her to drain her glass and return it to the kitchen counter. Another failure, certainly not the final one of the night if she knew her luck.

Anna, however, was stunned by the admission. Her silence was only caused by the shock at being told that she was attractive by someone who was so much more than that to her. She couldn't force a reaction, her brain struggled just to maintain a mildly happy facade and keep her from leaping for joy at the exciting news. Elsa found her attractive. Gorgeous Elsa found her, okay looking Anna, attractive!

But then Elsa was walking away, Anna opened and closed her mouth a few times at Elsa's retreating back. _What do I say to that?_ Anna needed a reason to follow, but knowing that she would be driving soon prevented her from draining her glass. She made her way to the kitchen and set her glass alongside Elsa's empty one.

"I'm not, you know." Anna said, moving her head in an attempt to catch Elsa's gaze again.

Elsa stood quietly, avoiding Anna's gaze for as long as she felt she could before giving in. The words stung, Elsa felt her chest tighten and she swallowed hard. "Not?" Anna was on the verge of confessing that she was straight, Elsa could feel it in the pit of her stomach. Whether she could handle it or not, she had already asked for clarification. It was too late to back step now.

"Attractive." Anna replied simply, a silly grin gracing her lips as her cheeks colored. She took a step toward Elsa, nearly giving herself a heart attack in the process. "If that was an actual reason to talk to me the way you were well..."

A pause in Anna's speech gave Elsa time to process what was being said. Anna wasn't denying being interested, just being attractive? Elsa's emotions were all over the map. She struggled to maintain a calm countenance, but it was growing difficult as the air between them grew thick with the muddled emotions of Anna's lack of clarity and Elsa's curiosity.

"...well, I should have been talking to you that way. You know?"

Elsa couldn't suppress the bubbly laughter that rose from her throat as Anna finished her sentence. It was horribly ironic that Anna had finished her sentence the way that she did: confirming that she did find Elsa alluring but not in any way indicating if she would be interested in beginning something more than a friendship. Why would she, though? She did have a boyfriend, after all.

"What?" Anna asked, confusion causing her brows to furrow even as she smiled at Elsa.

Elsa smiled softly at Anna, eyes half lidded and calm. "Oh, it's nothing. Just, women who don't know they're beautiful are positively adorable."

Anna's heart was threatening to beat it's way out of her chest. Elsa seemed to want Anna. What Anna would do with that information, however, she didn't know yet. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips before she shook her head at Elsa.

"Don't tease me, I know what I look like." She was nearly unable to think about her words now, they were coming out of her before she could even process them.

"Come with me." Elsa said, rolling her eyes. Elsa boldly took Anna's hand and brought her to the windows that lined the back wall.

Anna felt nerves grip at her stomach, but allowed herself to be led despite the uneasy feelings growing inside of her. Allowing Elsa to position her before the window, Anna stood still. Her apprehensive expression was clear in her reflection against the glass. "What are we looking at?"

Elsa smiled as the question was finally asked. "The sky is so clear tonight. The moon is shining beams of pale light on us, the stars are twinkling beautifully. I look up at that sky and, though it is quite beautiful, I find myself..." Elsa paused, mustering every ounce of courage that she had, this absolutely was her chance. "...I find myself more enchanted by your presence than I have ever felt by this view."

She watched as Anna's eyes widened at the compliment and found her stomach filled with butterflies once more. It was clear that Anna was unaccustomed to compliments from women, or just unaccustomed to them in general. The thought made Elsa feel a little sorry for her, given her current relationship. _She deserves the world_.

Resisting the urge to take Anna into her arms, Elsa forced herself to step back and laugh it off. "I apologize." she lied, coercing her lips into a fake smile, "I really do spend too much time with Esmeralda. You are quite beautiful, though. I hope that you have someone who reminds you of that every single day."

Her last sentence nearly brought bile up into her throat, being so false with Anna felt entirely wrong. Anna's response, a gentle shake of her head, set the pain in Elsa's chest to growing again. She couldn't let Anna know this side of her if she was truly happy with someone else, she couldn't go against her morals and make her feelings known if it could jeopardize Anna's happiness.

Anna couldn't believe her ears for a moment, Elsa had completely rendered her helpless as she stared at her reflection in the window. But if she was serious Anna couldn't tell, she seemed to dismiss the romantic element of the compliment with a quick excuse about being around Esmeralda (which caused Anna further discomfort). Just as she had thought earlier, Elsa really was difficult to read.

Just like that, things were horribly awkward again. Neither woman seemed willing to break the silence, but eventually Anna stepped toward Elsa again. For the second time that night she was closing the distance between them without faltering, Elsa's words were forcing Anna into more and more bold actions. _She needs to know how I feel_.

"Elsa, I..." Anna fell silent, her tongue felt swollen in her mouth. Her arms hung heavy at her sides and she desperately avoided eye contact, "I think maybe I need to say something to you."

Elsa's mouth felt dry, she felt as though she couldn't breathe. "You can tell me anything."

Though Elsa tried desperately to not become too excited, she had already imagined a scenario where this was a love confession and everything worked out happily for the both of them in spite of herself.

"It's just that, well, I've never been around someone like you before and-"

"Someone like...me?" Elsa frowned, taken aback by the statement. _Surely she doesn't mean it like that..._

Anna looked frantic, eyes wide as she waved her hands in front of her. "No, no! That's not what I meant at all, I just mean someone as..." Anna faltered, suddenly the words were difficult to find. Where had all of her confidence gone?

"As?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not making much sense..." _Very smooth, Anna._ "I feel like I can be myself around you. Not that I really know exactly who that is right now, but it feels right you know? I guess what I'm trying to say is thanks. Again. You're kind of helping me figure out some things about myself and I'm so, so glad that it's you."

By the time Anna finished rambling her whole body had begun to burn under the weight of the embarrassment that she felt. Elsa seemed to look a little hurt at first, but that look had been followed up rather quickly with one of confusion. Then, something miraculous happened: Elsa smiled. This was no elated smile, nor a grin of amusement, but a soft and kind smile of understanding. _Did I get through to her?_ Anna wondered, fidgeting her hands in front of her body.

At first, Elsa found herself understandably irritated by the 'someone like you' comment, she had instantly prickled and been ready to defend herself. But as Anna broke down before her, babbling almost incoherently, Elsa thought that she may have picked up on something. It wasn't explicitly stated, but Anna had all but come out to her. _If I can do nothing else, then let me do this for her._

"Anna..." Elsa started, the name rolling slowly off her tongue as she took a step forward, further closing the already small gap between them.

Without hesitation Elsa reached out and grasped Anna's hands tightly between her own. "I'm so glad that you felt comfortable enough with me to voice that. I know that it's hard to do any sort of introspection, but I'll always be here for you if you want to talk. About anything at all, I'm here."

 _Elsa is so close, too close. What do I do?_ "Elsa I..."

Silence hung thick in the air between them. Anna no longer burned with embarrassment, the feeling had been replaced with something more primal. Pushing herself up on the balls of her feet Anna brought her face level with Elsa's, teal meeting icy blue in an electrified stare.

As Anna's calves started to burn from being on tip toe, she felt Elsa's hands release her own and timidly reach out, coming to rest Anna's hips. The silence was overwhelmingly filled with emotion, neither woman wanting to be the first to do something - to possibly make a massive mistake or take an unbelievable step forward.

In a quick motion Anna was tugged forward. Her eyes fluttered shut in an instant and she prepared for the impact of her lips touching Elsa's, but instead she found her head nestled in Elsa's shoulder. Confusion gripped her as Elsa's arms wrapped around her tightly, gathering her in a pleasantly warm hug. _Well that didn't go as planned..._

Elsa was flushed as she released Anna, but she confidently sought Anna's eyes despite the growing uncertainty in her belly. "I hope that wasn't too forward, it's true that we don't know one another well but I just felt compelled."

"No, no, of course not. I, it was good. Great!" Anna began, placing a hand over her stomach as though it cold quell the butterflies within, "It's getting late though, I should go."

"Are you alright to drive?" Elsa asked, turning on her heels to grab Anna's painting and hand it to her, a sad smile on her lips.

"I just had a sip, any more and I'd have been all over you." Anna said, eyes wide as she forced a laugh at her own slip up. "I'm a bit of a lightweight." she added, hopeful that Elsa wouldn't look too deeply into what she had said.

"Then be safe on your way home." Elsa said quietly, watching as Anna headed toward the door, "Anna? I'll hear from you again, right?"

"Of course, silly. Thank you for everything, good night."

 **a/n: Hello again guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I uploaded early this week since I'll be out for the rest of the weekend. I have to re-iterate just how surprised I am by the positive outpouring of support that I've received, thank you guys so much! I am currently working seriously on a second fic that I hope you guys will enjoy as well. Hopefully I'll be able to update that one once or twice a month as well. See you again in a few weeks!**


	9. Slipping Through My Fingers

Chapter Nine: Slipping Through My Fingers

"So that's it?" Snow asked, sounding almost incredulous as she finally responded to Anna's tale.

"What do you mean 'that's it?'" Anna nearly whined into her phone, "That was huge progress, I pretty much came out to her and she hugged me."

"That's what I'm saying, you were obviously going in for a kiss and you got a hug instead! Doesn't that put you off?"

"Why would it? Why _should_ it? If she had kissed me, if I had kissed her..." Anna hesitated, "That would have been so weird and sudden! Yeah there was something like romance in the air but I'm not an animal. I can control myself!"

Snow sighed, "I guess you're right, but still. That was such an anticlimactic end to your story. Everything was so juicy up until that hug."

"Well, it's not for your pleasure you know!" Anna shot back, "Besides, it's farther than I expected to get anyway."

Snow made a sound that Anna had decided to take as agreement, then Anna sighed and slumped deeper into the plastic seat of the swing. At this point she had no clue what else she could have expected out of the night. Even with the way Elsa was talking to her before could Anna really have expected her to make a sexual advance then and there? _Would I have even been okay with that?_

On the one hand, having Elsa come after her like that would have been everything she'd been imagining since the first time she saw Elsa. On the other hand Anna hadn't really experienced kissing another woman, let alone doing anything else. She had been doing what she called 'research' in her spare time, but watching things on a screen and reading explanations was far different than physically doing it all herself.

The thoughts caused her to fall silent, a detail Snow was all too quick to notice. "Why are you so quiet? Did you not tell me something? Are you thinking about something you didn't tell me?"

"I'm not, I'm not!" Anna said frantically, "That's really all that happened! Don't you think I'd be elated to tell you if it had been something more?"

After what felt to Anna like an eternity, Snow finally relented and answered, "I guess so. Have you thought any more about the party? When it'll be or how you'll seduce Elsa while she's there with you?"

Anna huffed in embarrassment. "Are you kidding? You think I could do that with a bunch of people in my house?"

"Only addressing the most important questions I see," Snow teased, "I'm sure you could, Elsa looks like she knows how to make someone forget that anyone else is around them."

"Shut up. Besides, I'm just hitting them in the order you'll pay most attention to! I was thinking maybe next weekend. I want to be sure she's free before I plan it out though, it would be stupid to plan the whole thing and then have her not be able to come."

"Don't be so hard on yourself she'll definitely get there if you listen to her pointers and-"

Anna stopped listening to Snow's perversion the moment her eyes caught a glimpse of blonde ahead of her, her heart began to race as her mind quickly formulated a plan. "Gotta go, bye."

Suddenly, confidence coursed through her veins as she pushed herself out of the swing. Bending down she snatched her bag from the ground and stared up at the woman up ahead. _It has to be her_ Anna thought as she started to half-jog, attempting to catch up. "Elsa!" she panted, feeling rather out of shape as she gained ground and caught up with Elsa.

Elsa paused, finishing the final paragraph of her novel and slipping it into her bag before turning on the spot and looking around in confusion. It wasn't until her eyes settled on Anna's approaching figure that a small smile began to tug upward at the corners of her mouth. Anna was red in the face as she approached, Elsa noticed, but it just made her look all the more appealing. "My, my. It seems like I've gained some magical power to summon you with my thoughts, what a wonderful development."

Anna, still panting from her mild jog, grinned as she bent over and placed her hands on her knees for a few seconds to regain her breath. "Summoning me, huh?" she asked, straightening her back and smiling cheekily at Elsa, "I'm glad it was you and not that other guy from across town, I'd have had a lot farther to run."

Though Anna seemed pleased with her little jest, it killed every butterfly that had taken up residence in Elsa's stomach in an instant. This would be much harder than Elsa had originally thought, and she had only made it more difficult by initiating physical contact with Anna so quickly. Granted, a hug was no grand gesture of love, but the simple action had meant the world to Elsa.

Elsa's smile fell slowly as the silence overtook them, her brows furrowed as she tried to force the words to come out. "Listen Anna, I'm glad to see you here. I wanted to apologize for the other day, I shouldn't have been quite so forward with you. You're unsure of where you are right now and for me to shamelessly throw myself at you in such a way, well-"

"That's what you're looking sad about?" Anna interjected, tilting her head in confusion.

In an instant Anna had closed the distance between them, raising onto her tip toes and throwing her arms over Elsa's shoulders. She felt Elsa's arms begin to move as if she might reciprocate, but for some reason she hesitated.

"What are you doing?" Elsa breathed, smiling as she pressed her face gently to the side of Anna's head. She could smell sun and strawberries in Anna's hair, though Elsa had never been too fond of the scent of strawberry she could feel herself rethinking her opinion.

"Showing you that a hug is no big deal." Anna said stubbornly, tightening her grip on Elsa in hopes of coaxing her into returning the gesture. Her words were a lie, the feeling of her arms wrapped around Elsa was something that she could very much get used to, but a little lie here might be the best way to continue the day the way that Anna wanted to.

Elsa thought for a moment on what she should do from here. It would be very easy to tilt Anna's head up and kiss her hard, easier still to take her hand and lead Anna back to her apartment and use her actions rather than her words to convey her feelings. Unfortunately Elsa was still grappling with her guilt over possibly taking Anna away from someone, ruining another person's happiness while she selfishly sought her own.

Slowly Elsa's arms raised, wrapping around Anna's waist and pulling her in until their bodies pressed together as completely as they could. She wracked her brain trying to think of anything that would be appropriate to say here, but she found herself at a loss for words. Eventually, she gave in and decided to just enjoy the embrace rather than trying to force the conversation.

"Would you mind if I tagged along with you for a while?" Anna asked, tilting her head up to look at Elsa. "Snow was supposed to meet me here but she said something came up. I-if you're busy that's fine..."

Elsa's breath caught in her throat, she had no idea how Anna could make her feel this nervous when she was supposed to be the queen of charm. Anna's wide teal eyes looked up at her expectantly at first, but as Anna's voice became doubtful so did her eyes. The change was painful to watch, it brought up a protective instinct in Elsa who then tightened her grip before releasing Anna. "I'm afraid you'll be bored to tears by my routine, but I would be elated if you would accompany me."

As Elsa began speaking Anna felt her heart wrench in her chest, fearing that the first words were leading to a denial. But the instant Anna realized that Elsa was not opposed to having her along her lips split into a wide grin. "I doubt it, what's on the agenda."

Smiling at Anna's enthusiasm, Elsa almost began to wish that she had something more interesting planned for her day. "To the library first," Elsa began, lifting the thick novel from her bag a little sheepishly, "the rest will be a surprise."

"You know, all the time I've been here I don't think I've been to the library." Anna said thoughtfully, keeping pace as Elsa began walking again.

"How long have you been here?" Elsa looked aghast at the idea of Anna having never been to the library.

"Oh just a few years." Upon seeing Elsa's expression Anna defensively added, "But once you're out of school you can just buy what you want, right?"

"I suppose, but there's something about a library that is just..." Elsa made a sound of contentment, her eyes glazing over as she hugged the novel to her chest, "If you're lucky then you might feel the same way. If you do not then I give my word that I won't hold you hostage there."

The walk to the library was short, it took only a few minutes before Elsa and Anna stood together on the small staircase that led up into the building. In typical fashion, Elsa took a few quick steps forward as they neared the door and held it open for Anna. She made note of the light coloring of Anna's cheeks as she muttered a quick thanks and slipped inside. Elsa followed and headed up to the counter, for the first time in months she was not already reading another book and easily spotted Belle.

"Back already?" Belle asked quietly, accepting the book from Elsa and promptly looking confused. "And you don't have another book? Are you feeling well?"

Anna frowned slightly, noting how familiar this woman seemed with Elsa's habits. Sure, she obviously worked here, but how frequently was Elsa in here for her to have memorized what Elsa did? Anna's stomach turned when she realized that the clerk seemed to be looking at Elsa, well, the way Anna felt she was looking at Elsa. The woman was doe-eyed and clearly gazing upon Elsa with a fondness that seemed to indicate that she may be just as smitten as Anna, if not more so.

"I'm feeling wonderful, how kind of you to ask given the circumstances." Elsa said, leaning over the counter with a smile that Anna might have called flirty. "As you can see, I have an escort today. Anna, this is Belle. Belle, Anna."

Belle finally glanced over at Anna, offering her a small smile of greeting. Anna reciprocated with a stiff wave, "Hey."

"We should be going, I wouldn't want to keep Belle too long, and I did promise that I would not hold you hostage here." Elsa motioned to Anna, but before they could leave Belle spoke up.

"I actually get off-" Belle paused to turn her wrist up and take a look at her watch. "-right now. Would you mind terribly if I joined you? I could use a night out."

Elsa looked tentatively at Anna, who was doing her very best to appear anything but displeased at the sudden development. Anna was mute and only smiled at Elsa, somehow hoping that she would understand that Anna wanted nothing more than for Belle to go her own way. Unfortunately, Elsa took her silence and smile as an all clear.

"Please, it would be wonderful to have you along." Elsa said, smiling despite her displeasure at having her impromptu day with Anna interrupted. _It will be fun regardless, I'll make sure of it._

XXXXXXXX

Anna's eyes were wide as they stopped in front of the rather short building. Tucked between two much taller buildings, this one might easily be overlooked if not for the large, neon sign in the shape of a medal hung above it flashing 'Hero's Duty' in massive blocky letters. Teenage boys guffawed and shoved one another as they exited the building, this certainly didn't seem like the type of place that someone like Elsa would want to be. Dumbfounded, she looked over at Elsa, who was excitedly looking between Anna and Belle, who looked just as confused as Anna did.

"Shall we?" A wide grin was plastered across Elsa's face as she barreled through the door, leaving Anna and Belle staring after her.

"I...didn't realize this was something she was into." Belle said quietly, looking at Anna with a confused but entertained smile. "She becomes more interesting every time I see her."

Anna bit her tongue to keep herself from being short with Belle, rather than open her mouth and possibly hurt Elsa's friend she just gestured to the door and began walking. She felt more sour than she deserved to, that was certain, but Anna almost felt justified given that Belle had all but destroyed her plan.

By the time they made it inside, Elsa had already paid their way and donned her vest. Elsa calmly tossed each a vest and handed over their guns, her smile widening as their uncertainty seemed to intensify. "Have neither of you played before?"

Anna barely concealed her glare at Belle as Elsa assisted her with the straps on her vest. Tugging the strap on her own vest a little tighter Anna scoffed, "No, but I'm sure I'll be okay."

Elsa smirked in Anna's direction and Anna nearly lost her cool. Unable to prevent it, Anna bit her lip in response and then straightened up a little, flashing a confident grin in Elsa's direction.

"I hope that you'll give me a little help, Elsa." Belle said as they headed for the prep area, she pressed closer to Elsa and all but forced Anna to slow down and fall behind them. "I'm not nearly as prepared as Anna seems to be."

Anna glared openly at the back of Belle's head, feeling herself grow more and more bitter that Belle was crashing their night. Each passing moment made her dislike this woman more and more.

"Unfortunately I may not be able to assist you. The teams are randomly assigned when the game begins so..."

She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips, Anna was thankful that neither of them seemed to hear it. Their attention had fallen to a woman who was speaking to a small gathering of teens ahead of them.

"Alright, you all look like you know the ropes. For those of you who don't, I'm Sergeant Calhoun and I'll be giving you a quick run down before unleashing you into battle. As you enter your chest indicators will flash with either red or green. It's dark in there and there are obstacles so watch your step. You'll get points for hitting people from the opposite team, but there will be an event at some point, perform well and you'll get bonus points. Looks like there aren't too many of you so this should be interesting. Get in there and make me proud!"

The woman was rather loud and clearly very commanding, she seemed to regard her job much more seriously than Anna might if she were in her postion. The woman had the look and attitude of a real military woman, but Anna couldn't reason why someone like that would be working here on the side.

Anna looked around to try and enter with Elsa, but Elsa had already disappeared. It seemed that she had been the first through the door, Anna hadn't even seen what color her vest had flashed. A few teen boys followed her through as Anna and Belle closed in on the entryway.

"Good luck." Belle said as she passed through, her vest lighting up red.

 _I don't need luck_ Anna thought to herself, unsure if she was thinking about the game or about winning Elsa's attention back from Belle. Passing through the gate her vest lit green and she felt a surge of happiness knowing that she wasn't on the same team as Belle. Now the only thing was to hope that she would be teamed with Elsa.

The room was dark but Elsa's eyes were already adjusting, that was a perk of getting through the gate first she had learned. She was more familiar with the layout of this place than she cared to admit aloud, but she still loved it all the same. Each game was new and exciting, no two were alike.

Elsa crouched behind one of the farther back walls, peering out toward the gate and picking off a few enemies as their lights announced their team. It was only for the first few people that this tactic worked, however, as they were quick to pick up on her location. Knowing she would have to relocate or risk losing points, Elsa began her attempts at evading her enemies.

Elsa slammed her back into a wall as she narrowly dodged out of the line of sight of one of the teenage boys stalking by. Her eyes scanned the area before her, eventually spotting a curvy figure and assuming that it had to be either Belle or Anna. She might have approached, but for the moment there was no way to know what team that either of them were on.

Leveling her gun, Elsa smiled as she lined up her shot with the sensor on the back of her target's vest. As she tugged the trigger she watched the vest blink red, showering what she now recognized as Belle in it's fiery glow as it announced her being disabled for a short 're-spawn' period. Ducking back around the wall Elsa fired off a few more rounds in the other direction, tagging a few others and identifying a few more that were on her side. Still no sign of Anna though, _Curious_ Elsa thought to herself as she swapped her hiding place again.

It took Anna far too long to adjust to the darkness, she had been struck a few times as she stood like a stunned fawn in the gate-like entryway to the room. Once her eyes adjusted, however, her competitive nature took over and she began to do all kinds of silly things that she'd seen in spy movies in attempts to land at least a few good shots in before the game was called.

Once, Anna even attempted a tuck and roll type move. Granted, it only resulted in her sitting square on the floor as she fired once in the direction of a tall, lanky shadow. Luckily, she managed to strike the target on his vest, which lit up red and clearly illuminated his irritated expression. Realizing that she would be an easy target on the floor she quickly got to her feet, her heart racing now as she felt the wave of her first victorious shot wash over her. Suddenly it wasn't so strange to her why Elsa would enjoy something like this.

The battle raged on as the minutes passed, Anna could feel her legs starting to ache from attempting more athletic moves than she was built for, but the adrenaline rushing through her was enough to distract her. As she made a particularly tight turn, her free hand grasping the edge of a wall as she propelled herself into a corner, she ran smack into someone.

"Ow, sorry I-" A hand covered her mouth as she was tugged into the corner, spun around, and pinned to the wall with a body. For a moment she felt rage building inside of her, the idea of one of these teen punks daring to touch her was more than enough for her to start throwing punches. "Anna, it's me." Elsa whispered, releasing Anna's mouth and smiling at her, the expression barely visible in the darkened room.

Anna couldn't respond for a moment, the skin around her mouth had suddenly started to tingle where Elsa's hand had been. "How do I know you aren't going to shoot me?" Anna asked breathlessly, suddenly feeling very warm knowing that it was Elsa's chest pressed against hers.

"Same team." Elsa's voice was low and her response was quick, "Keep glancing up, it's coming."

The words were whispered in Anna's ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "Yes ma'am."

Anna was suddenly thankful for the low lighting, she was certain that her cheeks were red and she may be looking rather foolishly at Elsa. Something about the way she was speaking, so forcefully and full of zeal, was driving Anna mad.

But just like that, she was left high and dry. Elsa had disappeared into the darkness only seconds before moving targets begun lighting up and swooping from the ceiling. How this had been rigged up Anna couldn't have guessed, but she did the best that she could aiming, taking down one target that appeared to be rather bug shaped and golden in color before the 'swarm' had disappeared.

A loud buzzer sounded and the lights brightened gradually so as not to jar any of the players. Anna found herself a little disappointed that she had only manged a few hits on people and just one target, but it was her first time so she couldn't be too hard on herself.

Sergeant Calhoun had been waiting for them in the prep area, a wide smile on her face. "Looks like we have ourselves a natural sharp shooter." she said, eyeing Anna with something akin to pride in her eyes.

Anna looked left to right and back again. Seeing no one on either side of her, she gestured to herself. "Me?"

"Even Elsa hasn't hit ol' Cy yet, great work kid. Green team absolutely slaughtered red tonight. No grumbling about having a girl, boys," Calhoun chided as the teens began to complain, "Green team had two girls and soundly defeated you."

Elsa shot Anna a playful grin before poking a tongue out at the approaching Belle, who looked pleased with the outcome despite her having been separated from the other two. Belle's hand rose to her chest and settled over her heart. "Well I can see why you like this. It's a rush!"

"While we're on the subject of 'rushes,' I do believe I have decided where to take you ladies next." Elsa said, grinning in a way that could only be described as wicked.

XXXXXXXX

Anna and Elsa sat on one side of the brightly colored booth of the aptly named Sugar Rush candy and ice cream bar while Belle faced them on the other side, she seemed to be pleased that this wasn't another activity that would split them up.

"Hello! Welcome to Su-" the woman with her notepad in hand paused before a wide smile overtook her face, "Well, well. Been a while since I seen you in here, been busy I see!"

Elsa laughed and her cheeks colored lightly as the woman nudged her repeatedly with an elbow, waggling her eyebrows in an overly exaggerated manner. "What do you take me for, a scoundrel? I would never bring two women into your establishment on a date simultaneously."

Elsa looked taken aback, but the grin that slid easily onto her face told the others that she was clearly not as offended as they might have originally thought.

"Fine, but you better be back in here with a date soon."

"Vanellope..." Elsa's expression appeared composed, but the slight incline of one of her eyebrows was a sign that Vanellope shouldn't push things any further.

"Alright, alright! I'll get you when you aren't in front of these two!" At this, Elsa rolled her eyes, but Vanellope seemed to ignore it, "What can I get for ya?"

"I think I'll have strawberry, just one scoop." Belle said confidently, handing her small menu back to Vanellope.

"Chocolate for me please!" Anna chirped happily.

"And I'll have-"

"I know what you want!" Vanellope winked at a frowning Elsa as she slipped off into the back to prepare their treats.

Belle smiled at the pair of them sitting across the table, making Anna feel a little uneasy. Elsa calmly returned the smile, despite still appearing the slightest bit irritated at having been cut off earlier.

"You've got fans everywhere!" Anna crossed her arms over the top of the bright pink table, "Not that I'm surprised, you seem pretty cool."

"I hadn't noticed that until now, why is that?" Belle's question seemed to strike a nerve.

"That's a long story." Elsa said dismissively, still smiling at Belle despite her tone.

"I love stories." Belle said, leaning forward and supporting her head on her hands, elbows pressed hard into the surface of the table. "You should know that by now."

Anna's lip twitched slightly in irritation, it had been clear enough to her that Elsa didn't want to discuss whatever the reason for her familiarity with these people was. Belle seemed to either miss the signal or ignore it entirely. Something occurred to Anna then: Belle was one of these people that seemed to know Elsa on sight. Though she felt bad about it, Anna almost hoped that Elsa would answer Belle so that she could know more.

"Perhaps another time, I wouldn't want to bring the night to a depressing halt."

"Don't you dare, not in my house!" Vanellope slid a beautiful glass bowl in front of each of the ladies in turn, eyeing Elsa with a mock-serious glare.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Elsa smiled not at their waitress, but down into the bowl of ice cream that had been brought out.

The servings were impressive, even a single scoop was quite large. Elsa hadn't even looked up from her chocolate monstrosity, but Anna looked in awe at both her dish and Belle's. In the center of Belle's bowl was the most pink strawberry ice cream that Anna had ever seen, someone of great skill had laid it flat and scraped it into layered rolls, clearly intending for it resemble a rose.

Anna's own bowl looked much simpler, but it was still stunning. A perfectly rounded scoop of chocolate ice cream was nestled at the center of the bowl. Some kind of chocolate sauce had been drizzled over the top and long, perfectly shaped curls of chocolate were perched in the center of the scoop.

Elsa ice cream had been so very different than their professional looking dishes. Hers had been a scoop of chocolate much like Anna's, but the decorations were much less neat and organized. Fudge dripped down the sides of the scoop, sprinkles were strewn about in no particular pattern, and a dollop of whipped cream sat off center with a cherry poking out. It almost looked as though it was meant for a child.

Anna dug into her own bowl, groaning in satisfaction as the flavor pleasantly filled her mouth. "Oh my god, this is heaven."

"I had a feeling you would enjoy this place." Elsa said with a fond glance at Anna, "I am thrilled to know that you seem to like chocolate as much as I do."

There was a momentary silence in which Anna felt a stirring in her stomach completely unrelated to the ice cream. She laughed nervously, smiling lopsidedly at Elsa until Belle (very rudely in Anna's opinion) interrupted this precious moment.

"So how do you two know each other?" Belle asked, playfully slipping another bite of her ice cream into her mouth.

Elsa hesitated, having just taken a bite herself, so Anna stepped up. "We met a little while ago at a party a mutual friend was throwing." Anna's chest puffed up proudly as she watched Belle look to Elsa for confirmation.

" _Technically_ we didn't meet there. You were quite adorable the night they brought you in to my studio however." Elsa paused to wink at Anna, "She was the best pupil of the night."

Elsa's correction might have further deflated Anna's already waning ego, but the wink that followed sent a shock wave of heat through Anna. She was certain her face was coloring again, but she hid it quickly by looking down into her bowl and shoveling a few more spoonfuls of ice cream into her mouth. "How did you two meet?" Anna asked to neither of them in particular, hoping to pull any lingering eyes away from her.

"I guess we didn't officially meet until a few days ago." Belle toyed with her spoon in front of her face in a thoughtful manner, "Elsa's been coming to the library nearly every day for months. She didn't notice me at all until I spoke to her. I couldn't resist though, she was smiling so happily that I just had to say something to her."

The right side of Elsa's mouth tugged upward slightly as she smiled, forcing herself to stare down into her bowl and not look over at Anna. Anna had, after all, been the very reason for her smile that day. But as her mind recalled that day she remembered that her conversation with Belle had been interrupted and her brows furrowed.

"You were going to ask me something that day but we were interrupted. What was it that you wanted to say?"

Belle set her spoon inside of her empty bowl with a soft _clink_ and linked her hands together on top of the table. Biting her lip she raised her head until she made eye contact with Elsa, "I was going to ask you out. On a date."

Anna's stomach turned violently as she watched Belle confidently admit her intentions, she felt as though she had been kicked in the chest. Shamelessly she let her mouth hang open as she looked frantically between Elsa and Belle. Elsa didn't seem phased in the least, Anna could only assume that this meant that women asking her out was a common enough occurrence. The realization didn't help at all with her shock.

Though Elsa maintained a calm countenance, even going so far as to take another bite of ice cream as the statement hung in the air, her mind was whipping her thoughts into an unhelpful whirlwind. Navigating this mine field of potential disasters would have to be done carefully, lest she inadvertently ruined two friendships at once.

"Unfortunately my heart is..." Elsa paused, unsure of how to complete the sentence. Taken? Foolishly holding out hope that Anna might leave her boyfriend for me? "...my heart has convinced me that I am in love with someone who is unattainable."

Anna's eyes grew wide, she almost felt betrayed as she stared openly at Elsa (who seemed to be avoiding her gaze at all costs). Sure, she didn't know Elsa well at all but to say that she felt she might be in love? Anna was suddenly feeling quite overwhelmed with the whole situation, did she really have no chance?

Belle's face fell only slightly as she studied Elsa's expression intently, "Then it is unrequited?"

"I'm afraid she's seeing someone. At least, it appears that way."

The tone of Elsa's voice was full of despondency, as though she had tried everything possible and had not been able to convey her feelings to this mystery person. Truth be told she had done nothing but flirt and avoid opportunities to state her intentions clearly, but the lingering doubts and feelings of guilt about the situation were more than enough to keep her from acting on her feelings.

Startling both Belle and Elsa, Anna hit her fist on the table in frustration. Anna knew that she would have virtually no shot if Elsa's heart was pining for another person, the only way to move things forward was to get Elsa to act on her feelings. If her feelings were returned then Elsa would be happy and by extension Anna would have to be as well, but if she were rejected... Anna hated the thought, but rejection could eventually lead to Elsa seeing Anna differently than she seemed to now.

Both women were staring at her by now, curiously waiting for something to explain her strange behavior. "You should go after this person." Anna's heart was breaking with each word she spoke, cracking at first, then all but ripping at the seams. "I mean it, don't count yourself out yet. I believe in you!"

Heart pounding in her chest, Elsa stared at Anna. The impassioned words she spoke were so ironic Elsa felt she may die then and there from the sheer stupidity of the situation that her heart had dragged her into. "Anna I..." Elsa faltered, almost reaching for Anna's hand as a need to comfort Anna overtook her. "I will."

As Elsa looked back over to Belle apologetically she felt embarrassment wash over her. Belle looked almost as though she knew, or at least suspected, that the person Elsa was talking about was Anna. Almost in mercy Belle looked at her watch and frowned, "It was worth a shot. It's getting late, I should get home. Thanks for having me along with you." Belle tossed some money onto the table with a smile, "My treat. I think that I'll take Anna's advice too, though. This won't be the last time I ask you out."

Anna burned with jealousy as Belle winked at Elsa before she turned away. She knew the feeling was unfounded and unearned, especially given Elsa's confession that she was in love with someone, but the emotion flared in her belly nonetheless. "Maybe I should get going too."

"May I walk you home? Or at least to your car, if you drove to the park?"

Anna gave no verbal answer, but nodded her head. She led Elsa out of the shop at a slow pace, agonizing over the fact that she had been too sluggish and shy in her actions. Elsa was in love, or so she said, and there was nothing Anna could do but be supportive. In theory it was a simple task, but the tiny, greedy part of Anna's brain insisted that she should still be trying to make Elsa hers.

"So who is she?" Anna had asked the question knowing that she would be hurt by the answer, but she felt that she had to know.

"She?" Elsa looked to Anna, brows furrowed in confusion for only a moment before her eyes widened in realization. How does one tell someone they love them without coming right out to say it? "I think that perhaps that would be a conversation for another time."

Elsa stared ahead in silence as Anna only provided a nod of agreement. Her heart was in her chest, if she had been more confident, more prepared to ruin Anna's current love life, she might have told her then and there. She could have easily confessed her feelings and had Anna if not for Anna's boyfriend.

"This is me."

Anna's voice was quiet as she gestured to the vehicle up ahead, Elsa almost thought she had heard a note of sadness in her voice but it could have easily been imagined. "If it isn't too forward, I would like to ask that you 'tag along' with me again in the future. You truly brightened my evening."

The memory of her original task hopped back into Anna's brain, almost causing her more pain as she realized that Elsa wouldn't be falling for her anytime soon no matter when she held a party. "Sure, I had a good time."

"Excellent," Elsa reached down to open Anna's door for her, smiling over the top of the window as Anna got in. "I look forward to it."


	10. In the Dark

Chapter Ten: In The Dark

The Snuggly Duckling was significantly darker than Elsa remembered. Most of the dance floor was illuminated by glow sticks that patrons had brought in, but there were black lights around the edges of the dance floor and colored headlight style bulbs interspersed on the ceiling above. Overall, the place was difficult to navigate if your eyes hadn't adjusted to it. Thankfully they were seated at the bar, which was relatively well lit and significantly less crowded.

Elsa wrapped her fingers idly around the glass before her, fingertips slowly turning it in circles on top of the bar. She had been sitting in silence for what felt like an eternity as Esmeralda shouted advice over the loud, bumping bass of some pop song remixed for club use. For the most part, Esmeralda had been repeating the same three or four ideas but using a slightly different wording each time. It was as though she believed that changing the order in which she said things would lead Elsa to believe they were completely new points.

"What an interesting notion." Elsa feigned a smile as Esmeralda beamed happily at her third (or was it the fourth?) tipsy rendition of 'hunt down the supposed boyfriend and ask him if he's seeing Anna.'

The notion was droll, but it was certainly a more feasible option than simply doing nothing. It wasn't that she didn't have a plan, per se, but her own plan of patiently sitting on the sidelines had swiftly been shattered. All it took was a few simple, supportive words from Anna and Elsa was fired up. Granted, Anna had no idea that she was the object of Elsa's affection so she may not have been in the best position to give advice regarding the situation.

"Elsa!" Esmeralda shouted over the music, jabbing a finger roughly into Elsa's shoulder, "What did you say that guy looked like again?"

Elsa, bemused at how out of place the question was at a time like this, raised a brow at Esmeralda. She had begun to suspect that Esmeralda's drinks were getting to her, it wouldn't be surprising at this point in the night. "Tall, blonde, muscular. The heterosexual dream boat, I would imagine." She could hardly keep herself from spitting the words 'dream boat' as though they were the worst curse that she could utter.

"So, like that guy over there?" Esmeralda jabbed her finger toward the dance floor, her hand wobbling slightly.

Elsa turned on her stool and did the best she could to follow Esmeralda's finger, but the dance floor was dim and her eyes had been spoiled by the bar lights. The sheer number of bodies gyrating and writhing on the floor hardly helped. It took a moment, but as her eyes adjusted she scoffed and shook her head. "That man has red hair, dear, I-"

Esmeralda immediately shook her head, interrupting Elsa before she could finish her sentence. "Not him, the guy he's dancing with!"

"I think perhaps you should slow down on the drinks..."

Frustrated, Esmeralda slipped from her stool and stood in front of Elsa. At first she stared off into the dance floor, then she turned and grasped Elsa's chin firmly. If Elsa didn't know any better, she may have thought that Esmeralda was about to kiss her, but as her face was jerked slightly to the side she realized that Esmeralda was simply trying to adjust her line of sight.

Though she was sober, the dance floor was dark and she couldn't be certain. After all, she had only gotten a quick glimpse of him the last time she had seen him. Something nagged at her as she continued to stare openly at this man, though. If it truly was him, why was he here in the only gay bar in the city? Why would he be here without Anna and why would he be dancing provocatively with a man?

"That may not be him, I can't be sure in this horrible lighting." Elsa asserted, averting her eyes as their dancing began to take a more sexual turn.

"So lets find out."

Elsa had only a second to process Esmeralda's smirk before she was pulled from her stool and all but dragged out onto the dance floor. The music was louder here, as could be expected, and even when Elsa shouted her dislike of this plan it seemed as though Esmeralda could not hear her. Esmeralda had stopped nearby where they had been looking, just a few yards away from what may have been Mr. Muscles and the mystery man.

Nearly falling as Esmeralda grabbed her hips and swayed the both of them to the music, Elsa attempted to look at the pair without appearing horribly conspicuous. It wasn't easy, bodies swayed in and out of the way and even at this distance the darkness made it difficult to tell. It was only when a new song began mixing into the previous one and the lights began to flash in rhythm that Elsa got a good look.

To her surprise, it was indeed Mr. Muscles, now heatedly making out with this red-headed man. As she swallowed it felt as though a heavy stone dropped into her stomach. As joyous as she should have been about this new development she couldn't help but feel sick over it. Anna was in the very same situation that she had been in not so long ago, leaving Elsa in a horribly awkward position. She could potentially do something to stop Anna from feeling the same horrible pain that she had, but what would the consequences be if she were to attempt to help?

Elsa dragged Esmeralda off the dance floor with urgency, she wiped a hand down her face before turning around and addressing the issue at hand. "Why would he be here?"

The question was obviously unnecessary, Elsa knew the answer, but her brain was having trouble wrapping itself around the idea that not only was Mr. Muscles a cheater, he was cheating on Anna with a man. This could very easily crush her.

"I mean it looked to me like he was here to make out with that guy. More importantly, where is Anna if he really is dating her?" Esmeralda, seeming to sense Elsa's troubled mind, directed her back to their stools at the bar. "I think I was right, I don't think they're dating."

"Or they _are_ together and he's cheating on her." Elsa urged, glancing back at the pair for half a second before looking back at Esmeralda with a concerned expression.

"Maybe they're polygamous?" Esmeralda suggested, clearly trying to be helpful but only sending Elsa into more of a downward spiral. "That's totally normal for people, you know."

"I would like to think that Anna wouldn't want to be... to be shared..." Elsa said the words more to reassure herself than to refute Esmeralda, "Perhaps I should confront the scoundrel while he's-"

"No."

The response was so simple that Elsa couldn't help staring at Esmeralda as if waiting for her to add more to her statement. After nearly a full minute of silence and stern glances, Elsa tried to open her mouth to retort. "But-"

"No! Don't interfere, you don't know what the situation is and you could come out looking really bad if you go making an issue out of something that might be nothing!"

Surprisingly, though Elsa desired nothing more than to call this man out on his poor behavior, she had to admit to herself that Esmeralda had a very valid point. Elsa knew nothing about their situation or their possible arrangements and calling him out could be quite disastrous. The thought made her shudder with some strange mixture of sadness and chagrin. It was far too hot in the bar for her now, with Esmeralda's consent the pair decided that it would be best to leave for the night.

The ride home was silent, Elsa wracked her mind contemplating possible scenarios that may play out with this new development. While Esmeralda seemed staunchly against interfering, Elsa found her mind continually returning to the idea of possibly telling Anna or confronting her boyfriend if she were to see him again.

There had been times in the months after her breakup that Elsa wished someone who had known would have come forward. Often, she thought that she may have handled herself more professionally if she had known, but there was no real way of knowing. For all she knew she may have gone berserk upon the person who told her simply for telling the truth. The idea of this happening between herself and Anna gave her cause for doubt.

As she slipped into Esmeralda's bed, Esmeralda already snoring softly beside her, Elsa couldn't help where her mind went. She worried for her future with Anna at first, then upon realizing how horribly selfish that was she shifted her concern to Anna alone. The coming months would be difficult she felt, whether the hardships would be caused by her own jealous heart or the breaking of Anna's she couldn't say.

XXXXXXXX

"Are you sure that girl is single?" Kristoff asked, noisily rummaging through Anna's cabinet.

"Yeah, I mean pretty sure. What about you, are you sure that was her?" Anna slid her spoon through the now soggy cereal remnants in her bowl, Kristoff's news had all but banished her hunger.

"I spotted her in a diner based on a blurry photo you text me and now you're doubting me seeing her being dragged out of a bar by some hottie?"

Anna groaned miserably, shoving her cereal bowl forward and slumping in her chair until she was able to press her cheek to the tabletop. "Stop telling me how hot the girl she was with was."

"I'm just saying. You should really just ask her outright."

"It wouldn't matter anyway, she's in love with someone."

Even as the words came out of her mouth she had trouble believing them. How could anyone see and decline Elsa's advances, how could Elsa possibly be in love with someone who wouldn't have her? The idea was laughable. _Why did I have to tell her to go for it? What if that girl was the one?_ The realization was almost more than Anna's sleep deprived brain could handle.

"If she told you that she's in love with someone then why do you care so much?"

"I care because I care, okay?" Though the words could have been spoken with more anger given the situation, Anna could only manage to mumble them.

Kristoff stood over her now, almost looking at her with pity. "I know that look. You love her don't you?"

"That's ridiculous."

The idea was absurd, Anna knew only limited things about Elsa. At most this was a physical attraction confusing her mind into thinking that it was something more than that, the idea that she might _love_ Elsa was... Anna shook the thought, raising her head up and looking rather irritated with Kristoff for even suggesting such a thing.

Unfazed by her indignant looks, Kristoff merely rolled his eyes at her before taking a seat across from her, bowl of cereal in hand. "Fine. Have you asked her about this party you mentioned? I think I need to meet her since you're so smitten with her." When Anna shook her head Kristoff finally glared at her, "Phone, now. I'm going to tell her."

"Don't you dare! I'm doing it, I'm asking her now! Geez."

Anna could feel her palms growing clammy as she typed out the message on her phone, she assured herself that this was definitely caused by Kristoff watching her so closely and not because she was nervous about the answer that she might receive. The message itself was simple, 'Are you free this Saturday? Party at my place?'

Only as an afterthought did she wonder if there had been a better way to ask. Should she have called instead? Was it too early to be sending text messages? As she flipped her phone over, however, it buzzed almost immediately.

Her breath quickened as she made eye contact with Kristoff, having some sort of standoff as each tried not to be the first to reach for the phone. Kristoff shifted in his chair and Anna's hand shot out and picked her phone up, frantically unlocking it. Unknowingly, she bit her lip as her eyes raked over the message over and over, trying to determine if Elsa was really interested or simply being polite.

"Well?"

Kristoff sounded impatient, but Anna smirked at him as she made him suffer with his anticipation. "She said she's got a class earlier in the evening, but that she would be ecstatic to come see me."

"She said exactly that? Those are the words she used?"

"I mean, not _exactly_..."

Kristoff scoffed, "Well, I still think you should just ask her more about this girl she's supposed to be in love with. Be cool about it though, don't go drooling all over her feet just in case she actually is seeing someone else."

"I do not drool!"

"Your poor pillow would beg to differ."

Anna tossed her spoon in Kristoff's direction, but he was too fast. He dodged with ease, sending the spoon flying onto the tile floor with a loud clamor. Anna glared, but Kristoff only continued to eat his breakfast as though nothing had happened.

"Why are you even here? You could have told me you'd seen her over text, or just called, couldn't you?"

Kristoff seemed to ignore her sour attitude, smiling warmly over his cereal, "I was hungry, Hans had an early meeting this morning so I figured since I had to tell you anyway I'd just drop in."

"What are the odds that she would go to the same place as you on the same night at the same time?"

"Probably astronomical, but I'm telling you it was her."

Thoughtfully Anna stared at Kristoff, debating whether or not she should believe the memory of her surely drunk at the time brother or not. Elsa was gay, she knew that much, so it would stand to reason that she might visit a gay bar. But that didn't seem like an outing someone would go on alone, so it was _feasible_ that she had been out with someone, sure, but Anna's brain absolutely refused to believe that it was a date.

Kristoff had told her about the type of things that took place in the darker corners of the bar, for Elsa to have taken someone there for a date, perhaps a first date if she had taken Anna's advice to heart, was almost unthinkable. Elsa was too dashing and mysterious to take someone of romantic interest out to a place like that, right? Unless that was something that she was into in which case...

"Do you think I should go there?"

"What?" Kristoff coughed violently, his outburst causing him to inhale a bit of his breakfast, "It's not exactly a seedy bar, but are you sure you're ready for that?"

Anna kicked her feet beneath the table, her white bunny slippers dragging the floor with tiny shuffling sounds at each pass of her foot over the tile. She felt almost guilty as she stared at the table, doing all she could to avoid Kristoff's stunned gaze. "I don't know, I mean I don't know anything about this. What if she _is_ single and then we don't click because I'm..." Anna paused, her face reddening slightly as she mumbled the rest of her sentence. "...too inexperienced."

Kristoff placed his palm over his face and his shoulders shook in silence for as long as he could manage to suppress his laughter. All too soon, however, he was laughing hysterically while Anna could only shift her gaze to the floor to her left and glare.

Wiping a tear away and breathing deeply, Kristoff finally managed to calm his amusement. "You're telling me you want to go to a bar to get _experience_? Wouldn't you rather learn more about this stuff _with_ the person you like rather than wasting your time with some strangers?"

He was right, but Anna wouldn't admit it. As she mulled it over the idea did seem a little foolish but she was so unsure of herself that almost anything seemed like it might be helpful. Luckily she wouldn't have to wallow for too long, Kristoff's phone rang and whoever was on the other end was clearly going to be pulling him out of her house. For that, she was only partially thankful.

Kristoff waved and gestured to the phone as he grabbed his keys and headed for the door. Once he was gone Anna locked up after him and moved both bowls to the sink. As she entered the living area, she all but threw herself face first onto the couch. "What am I gonna do?" she asked, her voice muffled by the pillows beneath her. _Snow might know what to do..._

A short exchange of messages and Snow was at her house, sitting on her recliner like a queen upon her throne. "So you need my expert advice, sugar?" she asked, grinning all the while.

"I wouldn't say that I _need_ it..."

Snow tutted, leaning forward in the recliner, "Come on, out with it. It's about Elsa I'm sure."

"N-no." Anna was certain her face was flushed, if it wasn't already then it would be very soon. "But if it was then I might want to know what I should do."

Anna shrank under the scrutinizing gaze that Snow was giving her, only daring to glance up when Snow finally released a loud and dramatized sigh. "You're hopeless. Just talk to her, that's all the advice I have for you unless you plan on winning her over in a more physical way?"

The suggestion caused Anna to glare, but it wasn't one that she hadn't already imagined. What better way to be romantic than to just walk up to the woman you have feelings for and pull her in to a heated kiss? The thought of looking like an absolute creep if the feelings were one sided was probably the only thing keeping Anna from using that plan.

"Everyone keeps saying to talk to her, but how do you casually bring that up? 'Oh hey, so are you currently fucking anyone? If not would you be interested in making out with me in my room right this minute?'" Anna groaned at how stupid the words sounded coming out of her mouth, "I just don't get how I'm supposed to bring it up."

"More casually than that I would hope." Snow said with a grimace, shaking her head at Anna's lack of tact, "Just wait for her to mention things she likes to do, then ask if her girlfriend likes those things too."

"That's so corny, you are basically telling me to go fishing for information about her relationship!" Anna argued, crossing her arms as she sunk deeply into the couch.

"Well, that's basically what you want to do, isn't it?"

Snow wasn't wrong, but Anna was reluctant to admit that her endeavors boiled down to just needing to sneakily obtain the facts she wanted to know. It seemed so underhanded to ask a question like that. The thought of saying something like that left Anna feeling like she would be left open for ridicule if Elsa was indeed seeing someone. She was certain Elsa wouldn't do something like that, but even so the idea ate at Anna's confidence.

"Look, either ask her about it yourself or beg me to do your dirty work for you, but for everyone's sake pick one or let it go."

Anna floundered, at first feeling slightly hurt by the bluntness with which Snow was speaking, but realizing that she was only telling her what she needed to hear. Anna hadn't considered how heavily her own issues had been weighing on her friends and family as she tried to feel her way through this messy web she had woven.

"I'm sorry, Snow. I know I'm being an insufferable ass. Forgive me?"

"Oh I'll forgive you." Snow lifted an eyebrow at Anna, smiling in a way that would unnerve even the most confident of people, "But only after you talk to her."

"Come on, that's not fair. She'll be here this weekend, am I just supposed to not talk to you until then?"

With a shrug, Snow stood and started walking as though she were getting ready to leave. Thinking quickly on her feet, Anna blurted out, "Snow, come on. You won't even stay to help me plan the party?"

This gave Snow cause to cease her movements and slowly turn on her heels to face Anna. "I thought you would never ask."

The devious grin that twisted Snow's lips made Anna regret her decision to implore her for help, but it was too late to go back now...

XXXXXXXX

Elsa expertly feigned a warm smile at one of the twelve customers that occupied her studio. Tonight of all nights she had scheduled a wine and art evening and each of the twelve had become a little too intoxicated to focus much on their paintings. As desperately as Elsa tried to speed things along, her efforts were thwarted before they could truly begin by a particularly stuffy patron.

"Blast this wretched brush, it's positively ruining my marvelous work!"

For what seemed like the thousandth time that evening Elsa made her way to the haughty woman. Unnerved by how crisp the line between the black half of her hair and the white half was Elsa did the best she could to avoid looking directly at it. Elsa opened her mouth to speak, but before she could do so the woman opened her mouth again.

"Darling, take this defective thing away and bring me a new one would you? Just look at the mess it's made!"

"I hardly think it's the brush, Cruella." said a woman behind Cruella, earning a wroth glare for her words.

Elsa took the brush from Cruella nonetheless, handing her a new one as she contemplated whether or not this was the woman's true name or simply a nickname they had given her. Elsa turned her attention to the woman who had spoken to Cruella, she was short of stature and her hair was curled in a way that was reminiscent of wool on a sheep. As she moved to make rounds once more she internally fretted at how much work remained for some of the women.

Ursula seemed to be doing quite well with the basic shapes of the project, but was taking her painting in a darker direction than Elsa thought necessary. Medusa seemed fascinated with making things appear shiny, adding diamonds and jewels around the main subject of the painting. And of course Cruella couldn't, or wouldn't admit to herself that she was not as fabulous a painter as she made herself out to be. _To each their own_ Elsa mused as she prayed that they may hasten their work, they would be the holdouts for sure.

A glance at her phone told her the night was passing quickly, despite how slowly the minutes seemed to creep by. If this group took too much longer she would certainly be late for Anna's party. Perhaps it would be a good thing, though. Her heart had not yet come to a decision about whether or not she should or should not address the possible cheating with Anna.

Six came and went, then six thirty, and still a handful of the women were working or chatting in her studio as they drank. _So much for getting ready early_ Elsa thought a little bitterly, reminding herself that this was her job and she would have to make sacrifices for it at times. Of all the times for those sacrifices to show up though...

Elsa had set aside the completed works as they were finalized, a large fan blowing on them to hasten their drying as was custom for her official classes. After all, what was the point of painting something if you didn't get to leave with it? In the meantime, Elsa cleaned brushes in hopes of speeding up her eventual arrival at the party.

The clock marched on relentlessly, marking seven, then eight, then eight thirty – all the while Elsa's phone buzzed relentlessly in her pocket. No doubt Esmeralda was attempting to get in touch with her, but for the sake of politeness in front of her customers she would have to wait. Cruella was the last one working, as Elsa assumed, but she finally seemed pleased enough with her work to cease her painting. Elsa placed her work with care alongside the others and prayed that it would dry quickly. The women who finished early on seemed to be ready to depart until Cruella joined them, sparking a whole new bout of conversation. Elsa had never prayed so fervently in her life that her customers would be quick to leave.

But prayers oft went unanswered, Elsa found. The women milled about for a while longer, critiquing the paintings that they had just done (despite the fact that most of them looked exactly the same) and admiring Elsa's original works as well. As she cleaned they occasionally approached to compliment her, she accepted as graciously as she could manage given her current state of worry.

It was nine fifteen before the women thanked Elsa for her time and gathered their paintings. For a fleeting moment after she shut the door behind the last of them, Elsa considered not bothering to attend the party. Arriving late would be discourteous but not arriving at all might be excused, after all she may not even be missed.

She pondered the options for a moment before her phone buzzed once again, this time Elsa was able to check and was shocked by what she saw: nearly ten calls, two voice mails, and around thirty messages, all from Esmeralda. Truthfully she shouldn't be surprised, she had all but begged Esmeralda not to go in without her for fear that she may make a fool of herself walking into Anna's home alone.

By now Elsa could only assume that Esmeralda had joined the party, her assumption was proven when she began reading the messages. The first few were asking where she was, followed by a few frantic messages about being seen in her car and all but being forced to come inside. Elsa made an executive decision to skip the messages in the middle, scrolling down to the last one: 'I swear by everything that is holy if you don't get your ass here now I'm going to murder you. I ran out of excuses for you an hour ago! Where are you?!'

The words stung, it was clear that she would not be able to sidle out of the party as easily as she thought she might have thought. If no one else, Esmeralda would miss her. Elsa tapped out a short reply before setting her phone on the counter and rushing into the spare room. Suddenly she was thankful that she had brought along a change of clothes.

She was out of her painting clothing and into her outfit for the evening in a flash, surprising herself at the speed with which she could change when she wanted to. Elsa had gone out after her last success with skinny jeans and made a singular purchase, adding one pair of the jeans to her wardrobe. Though they weren't terribly comfortable, they seemed to be rather effective at drawing the eye. Her top was a light blue collared shirt, 'To match your eyes' Esmeralda had said when she tossed it at Elsa in the store.

There was no time to touch up her makeup, but a quick glance in the mirror gave her a small amount of confidence. It seemed as though her work from hours before was still holding up well, _If nothing else my make up will be strong_. Brushing her bangs out of her face and behind her ear again Elsa snatched up her phone, bag, and keys, stuffing her phone in her bag before rushing out the door.

The drive was short, but agonizing. Her stomach rolled as the nervousness washed over her in waves. She shouldn't have to try so hard to calm herself before a simple party, but something about this woman, this unique and difficult situation, was altering her ability to appear cool and collected. _You're a big girl, suck it up_ she thought to herself, her brain conjuring the voice of Esmeralda who had spoken the words to her only days before.

"There is nothing to be nervous about." she told herself definitively, reaching her hand down to switch on the radio.

The decision was a bad one. The first station played sweet love songs that made her crave Anna all the more. The next station played country music, the lyrics to which indicated what one woman had done to her cheating ex. After a third station, this one playing a heavy rock song about revenge, Elsa sighed and shut the radio off once again. It was clear that the universe was not content with her already anxious mind and sought to deepen her discontent with her current lot in life.

 _I am already late_ she thought to herself as she pulled up behind an unfamiliar vehicle just a short distance from number twenty three Springfield Avenue, _A few more minutes won't hurt._ Elsa leaned forward and pressed her forehead to her steering wheel. Her breaths were slow and deliberate as she grounded herself and prepared mentally for the upcoming confrontations.

She swore to herself that she would not blurt out anything about the supposed cheating, that would not be the difficult part. Though she had already told the gracious hostess that she would be teaching a class before the party she had not mentioned that there was any chance of her being so late, Anna would no doubt be upset or disappointed if she had realized that Elsa was not yet in attendance. The very idea of upsetting Anna made Elsa uneasy, she wanted nothing more than for Anna to smile that warm, kind smile at her.

This time she heard the buzz rather than felt it, her phone shook inside her bag and pulled her back to reality. It was clearly time, Esmeralda was no doubt impatient for her arrival and if she was honest with herself she was ready to be there. Despite her earlier misgivings about coming late, she was confident that she would rather have some time with Anna than miss out on seeing her in her own environment.

Elsa stood tentatively before the door, listening to the loud thumps of bass from the music playing inside. Steeling her resolve and putting on a confident air she knocked on the door two times, quite hard. Hardly half a second passed before the door opened and she was face to face with none other than Mr. Muscles.

"You must be Elsa!" For whatever reason, perhaps because Anna had spoken of her, he seemed to know her name and recognize her. "Anna will be glad you made it, she was worried you changed your mind about coming."

Something in the way he spoke seemed a little off to her, almost as if he was judging her. Regardless she stepped through the door with a smile. "I'm afraid that I do not know your name, but I am happy to be here." Elsa mustered the best, most polite smile she could manage under the circumstance.

Mr. Muscles laughed, covering his mouth for a moment before gazing upon her with glassy eyes, "Just as charming as she said you'd be. It's Kristoff, Kris if you prefer."

 _Kristoff. Even his name sounds arrogant_. Despite her thoughts Elsa still managed to offer her hand for him to shake. "I am so pleased to meet you." His grip was firm, but the gesture ended too quickly for her to gather much more information than that. "I am sorry to have to be brief in our introduction, but I do believe that I have apologies to issue."

Elsa slipped away as quickly as she could without betraying just how desperate she was to get away from Kristoff. The room wasn't nearly as crowded as Snow's party had been, but then Elsa had no idea if the two ran in exactly the same social circles. It seemed as though the smaller number of people was encouraging more dancing and less conversing.

"Where the _hell_ have you been?" hissed Esmeralda, the angry words not at all matching the cheerful facade that she had put on for the others around them.

"You know very well that I had a class before this." Elsa asserted, following suite and smiling warmly despite the uneasy conversation.

"Did you get my messages?"

She sounded almost frantic, making Elsa a little uneasy as she leaned back slightly, "I got them, but I must confess that I didn't read them all. If I had I'd still be at-"

"Listen, Elsa, he's-"

"Esmeralda, you know that I love you, but I have to go apologize to the hostess for being so late. It would be rude not to."

For a moment her friend began to argue, but Elsa wasn't having it. Under normal circumstances Elsa may have paid more attention to the layout of the house or the colors or architecture as she searched for Anna, but her mind was quite focused on the hunt. She found herself absurdly concerned with making sure Anna understood just how sorry she was for arriving late, hoping more than anything that she could still have a few moments alone with her.

"Anna." Elsa called over the music, waving as she approached a very pleased looking red head, "Anna I'm terribly sorry, unfortunately my class ran late and-"

"I see you found her!" boomed Kristoff's all too cheery voice, Elsa smiled politely, stepping back slightly to begrudgingly allow him access to the conversation as well.

"Indeed, she is easy to pick out of a crowd." For a moment Elsa wondered if her words had been too obvious, but she doubted that anyone would dig too deeply into the words.

"Yep, mom and dad sure made her pretty strange. Didn't they, sis?"

As Kristoff wrapped an arm around Anna and ruffled her hair slightly, she was quick to swat at him and slip back out from under his arm. Elsa hardly noticed the sweet interaction, however, she was struggling hard to keep her face from betraying the shock that she felt. Sis? Mr. Mus- _Kristoff_ was Anna's brother?

"Y-you're her brother?" Elsa asked, pretending as though she hadn't just stumbled over her words, "I would have never guessed, you don't look anything alike." She feigned a smile, though she thought she felt the corner of her mouth twitch at least once. It was difficult to discern if she was feeling elated or completely idiotic.

"Yes, this annoying lunk is my brother. Don't mind him he was just _leaving._ " Anna shoved at his shoulder, smiling nervously at Elsa. "So, where were we?"


	11. Say Something

Chapter Eleven: Say Something

Elsa could not even begin to prevent her mouth from hanging open, she was sure she looked positively flabbergasted at the revelation. While they looked quite different and not at all like siblings, Elsa had just been reassured that Anna and Kristoff were related and definitely not dating one another. This had been the one thing she wanted to hear since the moment she met Anna, yet faced with the truth she found herself completely and utterly speechless. She stood slack-jawed and silent until a faint voice began to pull her back to reality.

"Elsa?" Anna sounded slightly concerned as she lowered her head and tried to meet Elsa's blank gaze. "Elsa, is everything okay?"

"I-I'm so sorry." Elsa fumbled for anything to excuse her behavior, now was certainly not the time to lose her cool, "I didn't intend to arrive so late this evening, the unfortunate truth of the matter is that my class ran a while longer than was expected. Can you bring yourself to forgive me?"

Anna laughed, a warm and bright laugh that made her eyes light up like glassy pools of seawater under a bright, mid-day sun. Elsa would have been happy to drown in them, given the chance. It was pathetic how easily Elsa was falling now that she had the tiniest sliver of hope.

"I'm just glad you made it, I was really looking forward to seeing you. Am. Was?" Anna looked puzzled for a moment as she attempted to decide which was correct, but eventually she shook her head, "Either way, I'm happy you're here!"

Though Elsa had finally managed to regain control over her expression, Anna's words were bringing an unintentional smile to her face. Everything about Anna seemed to jump out at her now. Her smile was brighter, her skin more rosy and beautifully freckled...there was so much about her that Elsa could now appreciate without feeling the horrible, squelching guilt in her stomach.

"You look lovely." The music was loud but not obnoxiously so. Elsa took a step toward Anna so that she could reduce the volume of her voice as she spoke over it, "Positively radiant."

It was true, while Elsa was dressed simply in a colorful top and blue jeans Anna had gone all out and worn an asymmetrical dress. It was a bright and cheerful shade of green, Elsa assumed to compliment her skin tone, and came down to mid-thigh on Anna. It lacked sleeves, and while Elsa would have loved to have studied every inch of Anna's exposed skin she did her best to refrain. After all, it wasn't polite to ogle someone without their permission.

Anna had to suppress the giddy urges building in her stomach. She wanted nothing more than to leap for joy at the compliment but she still couldn't be sure if Elsa was being polite or if she was actually flirting. After all, there was still the matter of this mysterious woman that Elsa desired. Anna suddenly found herself quite thankful that Elsa seemed to have come alone. The thought of Elsa with another woman in her home turned Anna's stomach. Still, Anna thought that perhaps there was something promising in the way Elsa was looking at her this evening. It seemed almost as though a fire was burning softly behind the blue of Elsa's eyes.

"T-Thank you!" Anna smiled lopsidedly up at Elsa, "Hey, listen-

"Anna, get over here!"

It took Elsa a moment to register who the voice belonged to, but upon looking around she confirmed that it was Snow, appearing to look a little confused. Anna seemed apologetic, but Elsa could only smile. After all, they would have all night to talk.

"The job of a hostess is never complete." Elsa said, motioning her head toward Snow to show Anna that she wasn't upset.

Anna hesitated for a moment, her mouth opening and closing a few times before she finally nodded and turned away. "I'll be right back!"

It had only been a moment since Anna had left her alone, but that was all it took for Kristoff to reappear before her. Elsa could only assume that he had been lurking around them, just waiting for his opportunity to pop back in to their conversation. Fortunately for him, Elsa was left unattended and he could not be shooed away this time.

"Anna has such a beautiful home, do you live here with her?" Small talk was not her strong point, but Elsa was confident enough that she could keep the ball rolling until Anna returned at the very least.

"Nah, I've got a place with my boyfriend across town."

"That must be nice." The words had come out sounding more wistful than she had intended. It was one thing to harbor the desire to live with the person you loved, and quite another to reveal your desires to an acquaintance, if he could even be called that at this point.

"Sure is. So, did you bring your girlfriend?" His eyes bore into Elsa as he waited for her response, much like a hawk judging it's intended prey before going in for the kill. He towered over her and would have made quite the intimidating figure if she didn't already know who he was.

"Excuse me?" Elsa's tone was cool despite her surprise at being asked such a personal question by someone she had only recently met. "Have I somehow given you the impression that I am anything other than single?" Despite the knowledge that Kristoff was no longer to be considered competition, Elsa couldn't help the feelings of discomfort that were building inside of her. _What is he trying to get at?_

"You were pretty cozy with someone at the Snuggly Duckling..." Kristoff set a hand on her shoulder, as he leaned in Elsa could smell the beer on his breath. He then gestured toward someone in the crowd with the other hand, "...someone who looked an awful lot like her. You trying to play my sister and that girl at the same time? Because if you are, I'm not afraid to bust you out right here in front of everyone."

Her skin had begun to crawl at the implication that she may be unfaithful, and there was something in the way that he was looking at her that concerned her as well. It was almost as though he didn't trust her, despite having only just been introduced to her. She knew he would be pointing at Esmeralda but she shifted her gaze to follow his finger all the same, willingly making herself a player in his game. Sure enough, there was Esmeralda chatting up a familiar looking brunette.

"I can see that you are protective of your sister, what a charming quality for a brother to have." Though the feelings of hurt and rage at being accused of being anything other than faithful bubbled beneath the surface, Elsa masked them with a sickly sweet smile. "I fear you have misidentified my closest friend for my girlfriend, Kristoff. Don't feel too poorly about your mistake, with the way Esmeralda behaves one might assume the worst. But as you can see, she's clearly seeking her life companion elsewhere."

For a moment, Elsa thought that Kristoff might let the subject drop. He looked a little flustered, as though he had perhaps planned a big speech to confront Elsa about her dishonest ways and had been denied the opportunity. He wasn't about to let that stop him from trying to decipher what Elsa was after, however. "Yeah, well, what are your intentions with my sister?"

"My, my. What an inquisitive sibling you are." Elsa couldn't help but play coy now, after all just moments ago Kristoff had accused her of something unspeakable and now he seemed to believe he had the right to demand information from Elsa.

"You're not being a pest, are you Kris?"

"That didn't take too long, I must say that I'm surprised to see that you returned so quickly. I suspected you may have wandered off to mingle with your other guests. I'm honored that you would return here instead." Elsa smiled, the gesture stuck somewhere between pleased and smitten as she brushed her bangs out of her face again, pretending all the while not to see Kristoff's irritated expression.

"These people? I see them all the time, besides you just got here and they've been here forever." By the time she had finished her sentence, she was speaking twice as fast as when she had started. It couldn't be helped, she was anxious to carry on her night with Elsa and there was no way that she could hide it now.

"Your brother here was just mentioning to me that we apparently attend the same club." At the words, Kristoff colored slightly, _Is he feeling guilty, or just embarrassed?_ "A curious coincidence, isn't it?"

"O-oh? How cool, it's weird you haven't met before." Anna prayed that she sounded nonchalant enough to not draw attention to her statement. She wasn't sure how Elsa would react knowing that her brother had previously seen her, especially given what happened that day in the diner. How creepy would Elsa think Anna was if she knew about the photo that Anna had taken of her while drunk?

"Not so weird, I wouldn't be there looking at women anyway. Just happened to recognize you tonight, that's all." Kristoff shrugged before excusing himself, thankfully following Anna's lead and not revealing that he knew who Elsa was long before he had seen her at the club. "Better find Hans, he's supposed to be the designated driver but you know how that goes."

Anna watched as Kristoff trudged off into the crowd, curious about what had transpired between the two in her absence. She turned to Elsa with a small, apologetic smile. "Sorry about him, he's a little...well, he's my brother. You know how they are. Anyway, I think I was about to ask you how things went with your class tonight. What held you up?"

Though she wanted to believe that Elsa had been delayed by some mishap with her class, it could very well have been true that she had been held up by something, or some _one_ else entirely. Anna suppressed the idea of Elsa in the arms of some beautiful woman as best as she could, but it was difficult to quell her worries.

Elsa laughed, pinching the bridge of her nose for only a moment before shaking her head. "It was a _wine_ night unfortunately. Typically those entail a more...abrasive crowd than I would usually handle. You'll forgive me if I don't partake this evening, I've had quite enough shenanigans."

"So, I noticed you didn't come in with anyone tonight, did things not go well with your love interest?"

Looking away from Anna, Elsa couldn't help the wide smile on her face. "It seems as though things are not at hopeless as I originally believed. I may have been a bit hasty in thinking she was in a relationship, what I mean to say is that she is free to court. I suppose the only true issue now is how to begin the process?"

Elsa lifted her eyes to watch, rapt with interest, as Anna reacted to hearing this information. She was hopeful to pick up on some nugget of proof that Anna may share the same feelings. Yet Anna remained stone faced, her expression smooth and unreadable as she worked hard to avoid meeting Elsa's gaze. The reaction certainly didn't raise Elsa's hopes, but she refused to let it lower them.

"What is she like?"

"I must confess that I don't know her terribly well, what a strange admission given that I've proclaimed my feelings for her, hm?" Elsa paused, hoping to hear some reaction from Anna, but upon hearing no sound she continued. "What I do know is that she is kind and warm, funny as well. I imagine that she might like chocolate ice cream as much as I do." Elsa was openly staring at Anna now, praying that she may pick up on the subtle reminder of their previous night out. "She's a fairly proficient painter and she has the most beautiful eyes..."

"She sounds pretty cool, I guess." Anna was glum, though she did her best to hide it. Elsa was talking so freely about this mystery girl, it was frustrating beyond words that she couldn't find some way to just come right out and ask Elsa who this person was. She would give anything for some easy, not horribly awkward way to find out just how serious her devotion to them was. "I don't know how you could start the whole dating thing though. Not my area of expertise, you could probably tell by the fact that I'm single."

Though she smiled, Elsa was growing increasingly desperate. It would be so easy to confess here and now, but the uncertainty of what Anna might be feeling kept her from doing so. Truly all she needed to do was discern Anna's feelings, surely that wouldn't prove to be terribly difficult. Still, Anna had only just revealed that she may be interested in women to Elsa. How could Elsa expect her to have already formed feelings for another woman, let alone for her?

"Perhaps you would be kind enough to answer this for me, how would you wish for someone to vie for your heart?"

The question hit Anna like a ton of bricks. Truthfully she hadn't considered anything specific up until this point. After all, she was just beginning to explore this new set of feelings. She had more often than not mentally placed herself and Elsa in sexually charged situations that she'd seen in television shows and movies, but thinking about how she would like someone to 'court' her? How could she have had time to consider that? Especially when just about everything Elsa seemed to do only made Anna want to be with her all the more? Anna did her best to try and formulate a response, but Elsa was already a step ahead.

"Forgive me, was that too forward?" Elsa looked almost apologetic even as she laughed, reaching a hand out as though she were going to touch Anna's arm before dropping it without making contact. It wasn't a certain rejection, but Anna's hesitation seemed to be a strike against Elsa's cause.

"No, no, not at all I just..." Anna paused before finally meeting Elsa's eyes. She was meek but she attempted to hold her ground under Elsa's powerful gaze, "I guess that I hadn't really thought about it. It's not something I spend a ton of time thinking about, I figure if someone wants to be with you then things will just happen?" The music filled the awkward silence that fell between them, Anna mentally berated herself for not being able to think of a more eloquent response. "You're already really charming and beautiful anyway, I don't see how anyone could _not_ want to date you no matter how you came on to them."

Elsa's head shifted to the side slightly, like a curious animal awaiting a treat. "You find me beautiful?"

Anna froze, any semblance of confidence that she had managed to gather was slipping away as color rose in her cheeks. She stammered for a moment, struggling for any words to say that might make this a less embarrassing moment for her, "Of course, look at you." she gestured vaguely to Elsa's entire being. "I'd have to be crazy to think you were anything but beautiful."

It was Elsa's turn to redden now, the heat rose in her cheeks swiftly and she had to raise her hand up to her face in an attempt to hide her reaction. "My, receiving such a compliment from you has clearly overwhelmed me. Thank you, Anna."

"Wait, what?" Anna was confused now, was she imagining it or did Elsa seemed overly pleased to hear this news?

"Perhaps I did not make myself clear earlier. When I told you that you looked lovely I wasn't dispensing meaningless pleasantries." Hesitantly she took a half step forward, reaching out to gently run her hand along the length of one of Anna's braids. Her hair seemed a safe, relatively neutral place to initiate contact without being too forward. "Everything about you is nothing short of captivating."

Anna's breath hitched as Elsa nearly touched her face, she could feel herself falling more and more under Elsa's spell with each passing moment. Yet the doubt still lingered, if Elsa had feelings for someone else then why would she so freely give Anna this level of attention? Why would she so openly show this level of affection? Surely this particular set of actions was well beyond something that friends would willingly participate in?

Clearing her throat and gathering her mind, Anna quickly changed the subject. "So, tell me more about this girl. Do you think you have a chance?"

Elsa dropped her hand back to her side and rolled her shoulders as she pressed down the growing feelings of exasperation. "Perhaps. Though, I don't think she's seeing my advances as clearly as I'd like, but then I'm not sure she's interested at all just yet so I suppose things are going about as well as they could be expected to."

Anna made a soft sound of acceptance, not necessarily liking what she was hearing but wanting to give Elsa some kind of reaction to show that she was listening. "How do you think you would know if she cared about you too?" She shifted her weight from one foot to another, carefully and as inconspicuously as possible putting more space between herself and Elsa. She couldn't handle being so close to Elsa if her heart was about to be broken.

While Elsa desired nothing more than to be respectful of Anna, she was not about to tolerate the distance, not when they were so close to a revalation. Elsa very obviously shifted toward Anna again, her frustration manifesting itself as confidence. They were closer now than they had been previously, if Elsa could judge by the speed with which Anna's chest was rising and falling she might guess that Anna was feeling nervous at the proximity.

"I wouldn't be so vain as to think she could love me right away, but I can hope that she wants me as I want her. To be frank, knowing when a woman loves you is tricky."

"What do you mean?"

"You have witnessed my friendship with Esmeralda. While she has no feelings for me, a woman who did feel something for me could easily behave the same way. Yet, another woman might-" Elsa paused as the music shifted, soft melodic tones began to sound in stark contrast to the dance beats that had been playing since she walked in the front door. Feeling bravery well within her as the sound continued, Elsa extended her hand in the small space between them. "Would you do me the honor of allowing me to have a dance with you?"

Anna shifted her gaze to the floor, laughing nervously as she tried to decide if she should step back or take Elsa's hand. This could be her chance, a romantic dance could be the perfect time to announce her feelings. She tentatively reached out and allowed Elsa's fingers to wrap around her hand. How Elsa was so confident in the face of the no doubt close contact that lingered in the near future was beyond Anna's ability to comprehend.

Elsa led Anna as calmly as she could, placing her own hand on Anna's waist as Anna awkwardly set her hand on Elsa's shoulder. Each of their other hands was clasped gently together and held out to the side as Elsa led them in an unsophisticated sway. There was no pressure to truly dance, no pressure to feign knowledge of a set of steps that neither knew much, if anything, about. It would have been quite relaxing, if not for the heightened tensions between them.

Despite the tempo of the music, Anna's heart raced. It was now or never to say something, or it felt that way. But the seconds crept by and Anna remained silent, occasionally smiling politely up at Elsa before getting flustered and shifting her gaze to her surroundings instead. Even that was little solace, for Snow and Esmeralda were clearly visible from where they danced, tittering quietly to one another and looking far more elated than she felt that they deserved to.

"You never finished your thought, about what another woman might do?"

Elsa smiled down at Anna, it seemed that it was now or never. "Another woman might take your hand and lead you in a dance, she might pull you close as the music washed over you-" In this moment, Elsa did pull Anna a little closer, though not as close as she might have liked "-she might stare into your eyes and make you feel the very ground beneath your feet quake as she wordlessly conveyed her feelings to you with a gentle, passionate kiss..."

Anna's eyes had begun to glaze over as Elsa spoke, her voice was quiet and strong despite the volume of the music. The words seemed almost meant for Anna, but she couldn't shake the fear that Elsa was simply speaking to help her out. She couldn't help the way her mind kept conjuring an image of another woman in her own place.

There was something in Elsa's eyes though, something that spoke the truth behind her words. Elsa had to have meant those words for Anna, she just had to be speaking them to her and not merely suggesting a hypothetical situation. Her grip on Elsa's shoulder tightened, but Elsa gave no indication that she was bothered by it at all. Now was Anna's chance, it would be no sweat to lean forward and initiate a kiss.

But the moment passed all too quickly, the music faded and their swaying slowed until they eventually stood still as a more uptempo beat took over. Elsa lowered their still joined hands, gazing fondly down at Anna who was still carefully avoiding eye contact. "You are a marvelous dancer."

"Elsa, look, I...I think maybe you are getting the wrong idea about me. About what I feel." Anna blurted the words out without even registering the kind compliment, or realizing how that particular combination of words may have sounded. This was certainly not the way to begin a confession of love.

Though she tried to mask her pain, a flicker of the emotion slid across her face before being replaced with a hurt smile. _Of course_ she thought to herself, releasing Anna's hand and removing her own hand from Anna's waist as she politely stepped back to give her some space. _How could there be any other result?_ "Do forgive me, I feel a little lightheaded."

"Wait, Elsa, that's not-"

Whatever came after was drowned out by the music and the internal thrumming of Elsa's fearful heart threatening to break out of her chest. Shame washed over her as she turned on her heels and clumsily navigated the home until she was able to reach the front door. The air had a chill, but Elsa was struggling so hard against her own emotions and thoughts that she hardly noticed the wind nipping at her exposed skin. Pacing the lush grass, arms crossed over her chest, Elsa played each moment of the night over in her mind.

As she relived each second, she felt more and more humiliated. She could practically feel herself sinking into the earth beneath her feet as the weight of the mortification settled upon her shoulders. "How could I be such an imbecile?" The words were spoken aloud, though no one was there with her. "Why would she fall for me, why would I convince myself that I could..."

Elsa growled in frustration before her feet stopped moving. Her head fell forward as she felt the all too familiar heat building in her chest, she was unsurprised when the burning behind her eyes quickly followed. Tears would come soon, she knew, but she fought hard against them at the sound of the front door opening and closing again. Taking a deep, grounding breath Elsa looked up toward the door.

"You okay?"

Esmeralda seemed to have abstained from alcohol for the night as well, at least Elsa couldn't smell it on her breath when she neared. Elsa nodded in response, but was perhaps unconvincing judging by how straight faced Esmeralda looked.

"She said that I had mistaken her feelings." Elsa hefted a huge, shaky sigh, resisting the urge to break down in tears on Anna's front lawn. "Perhaps I wasn't as debonair as I should have been when I was informed, being shot down seems to have jostled me more than I expected it to have. I fear I've ruined everything."

"So Anna clearly said she didn't have any feelings for you?"

"Clearly enough, I would have had to be stupid to not have been able to decipher her meaning."

Esmeralda eyed Elsa for a moment before sliding an arm around Elsa's shoulder. "Let's go home, huh?

"That's absurd, leaving without issuing a goodbye would be incredibly rude. Though I suppose not as rude as coming on to someone who clearly has no interest in you..."

"Only you would be worried about being rude after an emotional trauma like this." Esmeralda mused, shaking her head. "Okay, back in we go then. Stick with me, I'll make sure no one give you trouble."

As Elsa expected, Anna was nowhere to be seen when they re-entered the home. Why would she be? Elsa had just played the role of the fool so well that even Anna must have been left feeling embarrassed by her little display. Yet, others seemed to have either not noticed the interaction or they were politely feigning stupidity. For that small miracle Elsa was exceedingly thankful.

Proceeding with the night as normally as she could, Elsa immersed herself in small talk with Anna's friends. She learned more about Anna than she thought she might as they relived story after story of their times with her, laughing all the while at her antics. Though she smiled and laughed along, at the back of Elsa's mind rested the knowledge that she may have ruined her chance to make memories like these for herself.

Elsa excused herself from the small group of new acquaintances, Esmeralda was swiftly in tow and awaiting an explanation. Elsa headed off the inevitable line of questioning that was about to begin. "I have to make things right. I need to be sure that Anna understands that I want to be her friend, I shouldn't have run off like that no matter how badly I felt."

"You're right. That was shitty of you, I wouldn't blame her if she didn't ever want to hang out with you again."

Though she glared at Esmeralda, knowing that her friend was teasing her, she couldn't shake her own agreement with what had been said. How awful it must have been for Anna to speak those words to Elsa, someone she no doubt saw as a friend, only to be confronted with such a childish response? Rather than dignifying Esmeralda with a reaction, Elsa scanned the room over and over again in hopes of seeing Anna to no avail. Just as she was ready to give in, familiar voice behind her caused her to jump.

"Elsa? You're back!"

Anna looked just as surprised as Elsa expected she might, given the circumstances. If their roles had been reversed, Elsa might have expected Anna to disappear and never speak to her again. There was something about her though, it seemed as though in Elsa's absence Anna had begun to drink. Elsa felt another sting of pain in her chest, realizing that Anna must have been resisting on her behalf.

"Anna. I was just looking for you, do you think that we could-"

"C'mere, I wanna talk to you!" Anna grinned as she slurred her words, wobbling only slightly as she gestured toward the hall.

"I wouldn't be opposed to that..." If she hadn't been forced to speak more loudly over the music, she might have easily covered the small quaver in her voice. As it stood, she had very clearly betrayed her feelings about the idea of being alone to speak with Anna about her shameful display.

She followed behind Anna as an obedient dog might trail behind their master, feeling weak in Anna's presence. Elsa knew that she would have to be strong if she wanted to salvage a friendship with Anna from this train wreck that she had caused. Anna pushed open a door, revealing a room decorated in shades of violet and green. It was certainly larger than Elsa's modest apartment room, but it felt homey nonetheless.

Neither woman seemed to want to break the relative silence, both stood and awkwardly avoided looking directly at one another. Elsa could feel her anxiety bubbling over and opened her mouth to speak, but this time Anna was quicker to the punch.

"So, before when we were dancing."

Elsa had to swallow a few times to quell the feeling of bile threatening to rise in her throat at the idea of having to address her shameful behavior. "Anna, I am so incredibly sorry. You expressed your possible interest in women to me and I feel absolutely terrible for behaving in such a way towards you. It may not seem like I understand, but I do. I shouldn't have taken your rejection so poorly and-"

"Wait, my rejection?" Anna was dumbfounded, she knew that what she said had _sounded_ very much like a rejection, but for a rejection to actually exist that meant that there had to be feelings to reject. "What are you talking about?"

 _This will be harder than I thought_. "As I was saying, you very clearly stated that you were not interested in me and rather than continue amicably as I should have, I acted very much the ass. I behaved terribly and I wanted to issue a sincere apology to you, that is not how a friend should behave at all, believe me when I say that I want nothing more than to be your friend. If you will still have me, that is."

Anna fell quiet as her mind flew off on a tangent while Elsa continued to speak. Clearly she had to be hearing things incorrectly. Elsa _seemed_ to be saying that she had feelings for Anna, and that Anna had rejected them. But that couldn't be true if Elsa had feelings for some other woman, could it? Elsa had feelings for another woman, that much was undeniable as Elsa had admitted this to Anna herself.

Anna crossed her arms over her chest defensively, "You've got a woman you like, but here you are pretending like you want me. What about her, you gonna break her heart too?"

Elsa exhaled through her nose, half smiling at the irony of the question. "Anna, I would never be untrue to someone. I have had my heart broken and I will never inflict those feelings on anyone else."

The statement left Anna with numerous questions, but had not provided her with as clear of answer as she would have liked. Elsa seemed almost as reluctant to reveal the name of the person she had feelings for as Anna was to ask for it. Though they were speaking, it felt as though they were getting nowhere at all. Anna's head was swimming, she regretted diving right in to drinks rather than simply going and looking for Elsa.

"Okay, but you just said...am I missing something?"

"Anna, I wanted to tell you sooner but circumstances had prevented me from doing so. You are-"

Both women jumped as a loud thump sounded through the room. Elsa whipped around to see the red-headed man from the club supporting a slumped Kristoff in one arm, clearly he'd had a few more drinks since he had last spoken to them and sleep had taken him. "Anna, we're heading out. Oh...excuse me, I didn't realize-"

"Hans!" Anna hurriedly shifted back, nearly falling as she attempted to put space between herself and the now wide open door. Hans swayed each time Kristoff swayed, but he didn't seem to be too over burdened by his weight. "Want my help?"

"Allow me, your dress is too beautiful to ruin in the event of vomit. I fear I've monopolized quite enough of your time as it is. Perhaps we could-" Elsa grunted as she slipped under Kristoff's limp arm and held some of his weight, "-continue this conversation at a later date?"

Elsa seemed so calm despite the interruption, but Anna was angry. How could Elsa simply be content with ending things here? Anna hadn't gotten her explanation for Elsa's actions and that was something she absolutely would not stand for.

"No." Anna's tone was bordering on demanding, something that Elsa hadn't seen before. Her face contorted into a frown. "No. You can't go 'til you explain yourself."

Hans looked between the women, clearly feeling uncomfortable as he stood in the doorway. "I've got him, you guys carry on. I'll lock up on my way out, it's just you two and Snow here now."

Almost reluctantly Elsa released Kristoff's weight and slid out from under his arm, extending her hands as he jerked particularly hard and snored loudly. Hans backed out of the room and waved before exiting.

"Anna, you are inebriated. Perhaps it would be best to-"

"I'm not inebr... _drunk_. I just had a few shots, my mouth is still moving so we can still talk."

Elsa took a deep breath, trying to formulate a plan for how she would tackle this situation. She had plenty of experience dealing with a drunk and handsy Esmeralda, but a feisty, drunk Anna seemed something she was not quite prepared for. "How about you take a seat then, Anna? It would help me with ah, being honest with you?"

She prayed the lie was not obvious, but Anna seemed not to notice it as she took a seat on the edge of her bed. Elsa was surprised to see that it had been so easy to placate her, but was pleased nonetheless.

"Well?"

Elsa stepped forward and took a seat next to Anna, then reached a hand out to gently stroke Anna's hair. The result was almost immediate, Anna's eyelids were drooping slightly with each stroke. The best thing to do would be to coerce Anna to fall asleep, thus delaying their conversation about the feelings between them until Anna was clear headed. Elsa doubted if it would work, but it was worth a try. "Well, I fear that it is a long story..."

Anna's eyelids were growing heavier with each pass of Elsa's hand over her head, "Tell me."

"I shall start from the beginning then. Once, there was a beautiful woman who caught my eye without even trying." Anna eyed her suspiciously when she started speaking, but her face smoothed into a relaxed expression with another gentle stroke of her head, "Even with tens of people between us she awakened a feeling in me, something I thought long deceased. With a single glance, one that she may not even have been aware of, she set my heart aflame as-"

Elsa stopped as she felt Anna's head slump onto her shoulder. As smoothly as she could manage, Elsa lowered Anna's head to her pillow and maneuvered off the bed. She knelt down, removing Anna's shoes before lifting her legs onto the bed as well. Carefully she lay a blanket over Anna's body, lingering for a moment to listen to her breathing softly.

Upon turning to exit the room she gasped, Snow was standing in the doorway with crossed arms and a rather judgmental look on her face. Immediately Elsa turned around to be sure that she hadn't awoken Anna. Once she was sure that Anna still slept, she and Snow crossed the threshold and shut the door behind them.

"I hope you don't think poorly of me," Elsa tentatively began, "I thought it the only good way to prevent us from having a rather important conversation while she was..."

For a moment, Elsa thought Snow might slap her. But her face cracked into a smile and she let her arms fall to her side, "I heard most of the stuff you said, you did what you had to do. Best you started heading home, she's not a fun person when she wakes up after drinking. And Elsa? Thanks for waiting. She would want to be in her right mind when you do finally talk things out."

 **a/n: I tried something a little different with this chapter, I hope that it turned out alright! From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your continued support. Seeing some of you like or favorite not just this story but me as a user keeps me writing consistently. I am so excited to near the finish of this story so that I can begin regularly posting chapters for another of my stories!**


	12. I Never Told You

Chapter Twelve: I Never Told You

In a perfect world Anna might have responded immediately when Elsa reached out to her. She might have met up with Elsa the moment she had been able to stop vomiting long enough to get herself cleaned up and ready to face her. She might have learned that Elsa felt the same way and been able to begin a wonderful relationship. But unfortunately Anna's world was far from perfect these days, and if the truth were told it was all her own fault.

During the first day, doubt gnawed at her already unsettled stomach and the feeling bled seamlessly into the following days. By the fifth day, the doubt had faded and been replaced by an overwhelmingly nagging feeling of guilt. Now, two weeks after the night at her own party, sheer embarrassment was the most driving force behind her lack of response to Elsa.

Anna read the message from Elsa once again, though she was sure she'd read it a thousand times already. ' _Anna, I hope that you aren't feeling too bad this morning. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.'_

Perhaps someone with greater mental fortitude might have responded straight away, but Anna had been so preoccupied with her own misgivings about what she had already said, the mess that she had already made, that she couldn't bring herself to do anything at all. Now that she had allowed so much time to pass, she almost didn't know what details were real and what her mind had added or taken away during one of her many frequent recollections of the night.

No one seemed to recall exactly what had been said after Elsa had run off and returned, which was terribly unhelpful to Anna. While she realized that she had no one to blame but herself, she couldn't help feeling the tiniest inkling of resentment toward Snow, Hans, and Kristoff. They all knew and understood the gravity of the situation, bot not a single one had encouraged her to go after Elsa. And no one stepped up to stop her from rapidly downing shot after shot when she believed that Elsa had left altogether. It was definitely her own fault, but someone could have at least guided her in the correct direction, right?

As the third week began Anna was feeling a multitude of emotions. Primarily she was angry at herself for not being clear about her feelings, about wallowing in alcohol rather than handling things with Elsa. Who begins a confession of love that way, anyway?

The hours of each day passed slowly and the anger eventually faded, but the void it left quickly filled with regret. The look on Elsa's face, Anna hadn't ever felt so horrible as she had in that moment. And the fear, the fear was the worst beast of all. There was a strong possibility that her chance to win Elsa had passed and there was nothing that she could do to take back her previous inability to act on her feelings...

Time and time again Anna typed out a response, reading it half through before deleting it. Draft after draft just didn't seem to make the cut, nothing she could say in response would excuse the length of time she'd waited. Not only that, how could she somehow manage to continue a conversation from weeks earlier without expecting some sort of backlash?

Overall, things seemed fairly hopeless to Anna, at least for the moment. With no further word from Elsa, Anna had begun to convince herself that the striking beauty had given up on this fumbled attempt at cultivating something with Anna. It wouldn't have come as a surprise to Anna at all if Elsa had moved on and begun to seek out someone else, it would hurt but it wouldn't be surprising.

Anna pushed her scrambled eggs around on her plate, sighing wistfully to herself. She was alone again this morning, wishing beyond anything to be sharing this meager little breakfast with Elsa. Hell, anyone would do, just so long as she didn't have to spend another quiet morning alone. As Anna was reaching the all too familiar low point of her morning, her open laptop chimed nearby. At first, she was tentatively hopeful, but given how long it had been, and the fact that Elsa didn't have her Facebook or e-mail, the thought that it may be Elsa was quickly squashed.

Surely enough, it was nothing more than a work request. While Anna typically refrained from accepting orders due to the stresses of her actual job, occasionally, when the work was slow as it was now, she would pick up baking jobs to fill the space in between rushes. The contact information listed the requesting party as a B. Rosenblume. The request was a simple one, a tasteful sheet cake for a 'small gathering.'

From the way the details about the cake was listed in short points rather than a full e-mail, Anna assumed perhaps the person was older. 'Chocolate strawberry marble. Pink cream cheese frosting. White roses across top and line bottom of cake with white frosting. Large enough for ten. Needed by end of the week.'

Anna had already typed out her declination before she faltered. _Just because I'm miserable doesn't mean other people have to be too_ she concluded, sending Mr. or Mrs. B Rosenblume a quick pricing estimate. Anna even offered a delivery option, if they were older as she suspected they might be, delivery might be a simpler option for them. More swiftly than she anticipated she received a very enthusiastic confirmation and the deposit was sent her way.

The week passed quickly, but the cake was a simple order. Before she knew it, Anna was packaging the cake in a rather plain white box and loading it expertly into her car. During the drive she hummed happily to herself, for the first time in what felt like forever she was feeling upbeat. It wasn't until she arrived at number ninety-one Colmar Way that her stomach began to churn uncomfortably.

The driveway was lined with trees whose trunks were wider than any Anna had seen before, causing her to wonder just what she had gotten herself into. How long had these trees been here? She let loose her white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel when the trees finally thinned and the massive house came into view. It would have looked very much out of place if set side by side with houses in the city, but here in the countryside the gray and white stone and royal blue roofing tiles looked perfectly at home.

Carefully Anna maneuvered the cake out of the car and approached the home, navigating a stone pathway that led to stone stairs and, eventually, an ornately carved wooden door in the same shade as the roofing tiles. Anna knocked three times, and upon the third knock the door swung open and she would have been face to face with an older man, had he not been so short of stature.

 _Looks like I was right!_ Anna thought pleasantly to herself, "You must be Mr. Rosenblume! I'm Anna, and I've got your cake right here."

The man seemed to regard her curiously for a moment before nodding and flashing her a smile from beneath his bushy white mustache, "Come in, come in. Straight through here and to the left my dear."

Anna did as she was told, noting that the simple, but beautiful exterior of the home was reflected inside. Polished hardwood floors, glossy lighting fixtures, furniture that looked so realistically antique that Anna had to guess that it actually _was_ antique...overall this place was far more swanky than the simple cake might have led her to believe. People in homes like this often requested things so extravagant that Anna had to decline their offers simply for lack of time.

It was very clear where the cake was meant to go once Anna rounded the intended corner and entered the...dining area? Anna wasn't sure what to call the open space, but a long serving table had been set up so she had to assume it was some sort of dining room. Sweets of all kinds and typical party foods were on either side of a space that, aside from a cake stand that looked almost like crystal, was obviously empty to save space for the cake.

"Thank you again for your order Mr. Rosenblume, don't hesitate to get in touch with me again. It was a pleasure."

"Oh, dear, I didn't place the order. My daughter did, it's her birthday today."

"Well then, I'll have to wish her a happy birthday if I see her before I go."

Still humming pleasantly, and feeling proud of herself for not declining this order, she started her work. For the first time in weeks she felt something akin to true happiness as she removed the cake from the box with great care and transferred it onto the crystal cake stand, only shaking a little as she set one side down.

XXXXXXXX

Elsa hardly had a moment to breathe after the incident at Anna's party. She had been booked solid for weeks, the hours had been long and the nights alone in her apartment felt even longer. Time and time again as she readied for bed she would open her message to Anna and double or even triple check the number to be sure that it had been correct. Tonight was no different.

As she finished swishing mouthwash, Elsa spit and wiped her mouth. Sighing, she picked up her phone again, the least exciting part of her nightly ritual. Only hesitating for a moment she flipped it over and pulled up her message to Anna to confirm the already known fact that she had indeed sent the message to the correct number. If she were interested at all Anna would have already issued some kind of response, but the lack of anything at all was frightening and heartbreaking all at once.

If something had happened to Anna, Elsa had no doubt that someone would have already let her know. Still, the thought lingered in the back of her hopeful mind that there was some reason for the lack of response. It was difficult to admit to herself that Anna would just ghost on her without even trying to be friends, but it was something that she would have to consider. After all, it seemed to be her reality for the time being.

She flopped into her bed, plugging her phone into a charger and flipping it face down on her nightstand. She had hardly closed her eyes when a soft buzz caused them to shoot open again. In the first few days, Elsa had kept her sound on, waiting anxiously for Anna's response. Having lost most of her hope as night after night of silence passed, Elsa had begun to put her phone on vibrate. The problem with that, however, was the surprising ease with which your brain can convince you that you hear or feel a vibration when nothing had actually happened.

Only able to hold out for a few moments before the excitement took her over, Elsa quickly rolled over and snatched her phone. There was a message, but it wasn't the one that she had been waiting for.

 _'Hey Elsa! Haven't seen you at the library recently to extend an in-person invite, so consider this your official invitation to my birthday party!_

Belle had listed out all the pertinent details in the rest of the message, date, time, attire, but Elsa was still too irked that the source of the message hadn't been Anna to process more of it at the moment. Halfheartedly she issued her gracious acceptance and set her phone down again, praying that Belle would take it in stride and not bother responding. It seemed Elsa was lucky, because no other response came.

All too quickly the date of the party was upon Elsa, who was desperately unprepared for such an affair. Since the night out with both Belle and Anna, the library had not been quite so comfortable as it had been previously. Even when she was not directly and very forwardly flirting with Elsa, something about the way Belle now carried herself made it all too clear that she wanted nothing more than for Elsa to give her a chance. In short, the newly budded friendship had already become a little strained due to their conflicted feelings.

Elsa didn't regret accepting the invitation, not at all, she was confident that with other guests present their interactions could be more normal. The invitation had listed attire as 'mildly dressy,' which was a rather foreign concept to Elsa. What exactly qualified as 'mildly dressy?' Different people saw different things as dressy, some could be seen wearing blue jeans to church, others were rarely ever seen out of slacks or sundresses.

Frustrated and a little overwhelmed, Elsa reluctantly selected a light blue dress for the event. Despite being sleeveless and a little more low cut than she would like, it was an appropriate length (coming to just above her knees) and was comfortable enough to ease her concerns about being over or under dressed. Slipping on a pair of flats in nearly the same shade as her dress, she hoped that no one would be looking too terribly hard at them, Elsa sighed and took one final look in front of the mirror before snatching up Belle's present and departing.

If she were being honest, the drive was a little longer than she anticipated. Heading to the outskirts of town was something that she hadn't done in quite some time. After all, the most important aspects of her life had been nestled comfortably near her own home. Yet the longer she drove, the more at ease Elsa felt. For half a moment she even considered a possible move away from the hustle and bustle of the inner city, then she recalled how much she enjoyed being within walking distance of her favorite hideaways and thought better of it.

Belle's home was perhaps more elegant than Elsa had expected. It wasn't until she was greeted at the door by an older gentleman that Elsa even considered that this may not actually be Belle's house, but rather the home of her parents. The short, stout, older man had only manage to convey to Elsa that his name was Maurice and that he was Belle's father before Belle was upon them.

"Elsa! I'm so glad that you made it, there are some people here who are just _dying_ to meet you."

The smile that Belle wore was so genteel that Elsa could easily see how hard Belle was trying to be polite in front of her father. Elsa returned the smile as best she could, "I am quite pleased to be here, your invitation was very unexpected. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw it."

"Why wouldn't I want you here? You'll fit right in!" Belle extended her hand and took up Elsa's free hand, pulling her inside. "That better be a strangely wrapped purse, I specified no gifts!"

Elsa smiled despite the pouty look that crossed Belle's features. "Before my mother passed she always told me not to attend a birthday party without a gift. Besides, you are deserving of a gift after you so admirably agreed to come to laser tag with me. You're a good sport."

Despite looking a little perturbed, Belle accepted the rectangular gift. She seemed to regard the package for a moment, smiling almost fondly at it. It didn't last, though, Belle was quick to tug on Elsa's hand again as she led her into a large, open area with a food laden table. As Belle set the gift down, Elsa made note of the food on the table as well as the strange, open space in the center. For the cake, perhaps?

"May I?"

Elsa didn't have long to think before Belle was linking arms with her and leading her through the glass doors adjacent to the table. As promised, there were a number of people milling about outside and Elsa vowed to do her best to recall the names of each one as she was paraded before her. It felt strange to be on Belle's arm, almost as though she were the new significant other being flaunted before family and friends.

When the introductions were finally through, Belle sighed in relief. It was almost as if she expected someone to have an issue meeting her new friend. "Sorry to parade you in front of everyone like that. It's embarrassing to admit, but apparently I've been talking a lot about you without realizing it. They've all been chomping at the bit to meet you."

"Chomping at the bit, hm?" Elsa smiled and stifled a laugh as Belle's cheeks colored. "I must admit, it was a little strange having the usual roles reversed, but I was pleased to meet all of your friends."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'd say that more often than not I am the one with someone on my arm, and yet here we are. It feels strange."

For a moment, Elsa thought Belle might have a witty comeback, but instead Elsa received something a little more telling about how much Belle valued their friendship. "How did things go with Anna?"

Elsa was certain her skin had heated at the question, she had half a mind to try and wriggle free from Belle's arm. Still, there was no telling exactly how much Belle knew. Was she just checking to see how things went on the way home from Sugar Rush or was she more aware than Elsa realized? Regardless, Elsa suddenly felt more at ease knowing that Belle didn't seem so intent on winning her over at this party.

"We got home just fine."

Oh yes, a short and vague response was certainly the best way to push the focus off of the subject. No normal person would follow up after that. Elsa cursed herself for her response, wishing she'd spent just half a second longer formulating a more in depth answer. Anything that wouldn't incite more questions.

"So why isn't she here with you?"

"Why would she be here with me?" The response was too quick, too raw. Elsa was falling apart with each question Belle asked. _Get it together._

"Come on, Elsa. You're going to make me say it?"

Elsa swallowed hard. _So Belle knows._ "How long have you known?"

"Since the moment you declined my advances."

"Surely you can't be _that_ confident that I would have said yes to you?" There was a short silence where Elsa struggled not to trip over her words, or to insult the birthday girl on her big day, "You're beautiful and intelligent, certainly you would be my type, but you can't have really just thought I would fall head over heels in one night?"

The words were ironic as she thought on how her relationship, no, her infatuation with Anna had begun. One night, one possible glance across a room...it had taken nothing more than a glance for Elsa to fall. And yet as she came to know more of Anna, to spend more time with her, the falling hadn't seemed to stop. Just when she thought she couldn't find Anna any more endearing something else happened and she was wrapped even tighter into this messy web. And now...

"Of course not, that doesn't happen. I meant that it just solidified things for me. I saw the way you looked at her all night, your little smiles." Belle tugged her arm just a little tighter as they started back toward the house, "It was pretty obvious to everyone around you, even if she was oblivious."

Elsa hummed in response, unable to decide if she was feeling more amused or toyed with. "So did you actually have feelings for me or has all of this been a clever ruse to spur either myself or Anna to act?"

"Oh, I would date you so hard." Belle laughed at her own quick response, "You are definitely my type, but it was clear that you two were in the throes of something, what I couldn't say though."

"Perhaps on my end."

"Anna looked at you like that too, you know. She was practically puppy eyed every time you looked at one another. You should have seen how her face fell when you told us that you had feelings for someone. I'm sure you saw it, but you didn't _see_ it."

"No." Elsa's response was quick, almost sharp given the current state of their conversation. "No, she firmly put me in my place."

"Oh Elsa, I'm sorry. I-I had no idea that you'd already... Come on, lets go see if the cake is here. That will cheer you up!"

Belle released her arm and gripped her hand now, tugging her behind as she, far more nimbly than Elsa could have expected given the height of her heels, led them up the staircase and into the kitchen. She was right, the prospect of cake had begun to gently waft away the cloud of gloom forming over Elsa's head.

"My, what an unexpected guest."

Belle sounded genuinely surprised as she passed through the doorway, and within a second Elsa could see why. Elsa's eyes widened as she saw the all too familiar shade of red. Her back may have been turned as she stood alongside Belle's father, no doubt assisting with party preparation, but Elsa was sure that it was her. Anna was here, clearly uninvited. The instinct to flee took over, if Anna hadn't wanted to return a simple text message then seeing her would likely be more difficult than Elsa could handle.

"I have to go." Elsa's whisper was strangled, nearly choked out as she apologetically looked at Belle and released her hand.

Belle looked as though she might argue, but relented surprisingly quickly. "My room." With a quick gesture of her thumb Belle indicated a direction in which Elsa should go, and go she did.

Never had she moved so swiftly in a dress, never had she hoped so fervently that she moved fast enough to have not been seen. Her heart was racing as she rounded another corner and entered the first door on the left side of the hall. Clearly it was Belle's room, but Elsa was too distracted to bother looking too hard at anything.

The room was brightly colored, she did notice that much, with lightly colored wood furnishings and a bed larger than any normal person might need. Nearly shaking, Elsa brushed her dress down to her legs before sitting on the bed. As the seconds passed her breathing slowed and her mind began working.

Elsa knew by Belle's reaction that Anna hadn't been invited, so it stood to reason that she had been here by coincidence. What would Anna do if she knew Elsa was here? Surely she wouldn't run off and hide, and this was so unlike Elsa. Surely it wouldn't be that hard to come face to face with someone who had not only spurned your romantic gestures, but also completely ignored your one attempt at making things right?

"This is stupid, absolutely stupid. Why am I hiding? Anna wasn't invited here, so clearly she won't be here long anyway. Maybe seeing me might..." Elsa growled in frustration, cradling her head in her hands. "Might make her love me? Fuck, what is wrong with me? I'm not this girl, this pitiful girl who can't hold it together in front of someone...am I?"

XXXXXXXX

It took Anna a moment to turn around, she was assisting in the decoration of some last minute cookies that Maurice had been working on before her arrival. When she had seen him struggling with the piping bags, she gladly volunteered her time. After all, at the time she was still high on the happiness that she had brought the old man. When she finally did turn to face those who had come inside, however, her mind reminded her of just who she was trying to forget.

Anna imagined a flash of blonde disappearing around a corner and her heart did some kind of strange wiggle in her chest. When her eyes settled on Belle, she almost became suspicious that Elsa _was_ here after all. As if Belle hadn't already been gorgeous enough in plain clothes the last time Anna had seen her, today she was mesmerizing. Wearing a golden dress so form fitting it looked almost as though it had been poured onto her and heels to match, Anna couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the thought that Elsa might be here, might have seen Belle dressed so perfectly.

Managing a friendly, albeit surprised smile, Anna finally addressed her unwitting temporary host. "Belle? Wow, so you're the birthday girl I guess! Happy birthday!"

"Not that I'm not pleased to see you, Anna, but how did you come to be here?"

"Oh, the cake. I just came to drop off the cake. Your father looked like he needed a little help with some things though and I ended up staying much longer than I intended to. I should really get going anyway."

"I had no idea you baked, how delightful. Shame you have to be going so soon, do you have an outing planned? With Elsa maybe?"

Something about the way that Belle asked, the way she smiled, it seemed unsettling to Anna. It was almost as if Belle knew, or at least suspected, something had happened between them. The way things had been left he last time they had all been together wouldn't have been any indication of something between Anna and Elsa, so something had to be up. Unless Elsa was here and had possibly used her as an excuse to leave the party early?

"Actually I haven't-" Anna paused carefully considering her words. After all, Belle had expressed her own interest in Elsa the last time they had all been together. Not that Anna had any right to be even making an attempt at keeping Elsa to herself at this point, but this situation still required careful navigation. "-I haven't spoken to her in a while. Last time I saw her was at a party I had a few weeks ago."

"My, that sounds like a fun time. Shame you haven't spoken to her recently though, last I heard she seemed a little upset over something. She wouldn't say what though."

It wasn't necessarily a lie, but Belle wasn't keen on telling Anna that she had just barely missed Elsa just yet, not when Elsa seemed desperate to escape before she had been seen. Which was a true pity since it would have been an interesting scene to watch play out.

 _Of course Elsa spoke to Belle._ Anna's thoughts were bitter as she tried to formulate a good response.

"You know, I thought you two were quite good friends. I think she may need someone she can really speak to...perhaps I should reach out after all, if you two aren't that close." A little hint, a push in the right direction. At least, Belle could hope.

It was written all over Belle's face, she knew something more than she was letting on. But what exactly did she know? She had said that Elsa hadn't said why she was upset, but was it possible that she _had_ and Belle was being deceptive? "Clearly you haven't met Esmeralda yet. Trust me, if Elsa was going to talk to anyone about something that bothered her it would be Esmeralda."

"Odd that you would seem so close and then not worry about making sure she's alright, but who am I to judge."

Anna could hardly mask the displeasure on her face, Belle _definitely_ knew something. She had to if she was willing to be so smug about Anna not immediately volunteering to be Elsa's rock in a difficult situation. Clearly Belle was aware that Anna was, in some part, the cause of their dear friend's sadness.

Stepping forward, Anna grinned cheekily at Belle. "Tell me, are you always this bad at hiding when you know something?"

Belle feigned a look of shock, but internally she was full of glee that Anna was just as easy to manipulate as she believed. The game was afoot now, and Anna, though she didn't know it, was poised to be played like a pawn. "You'll have to forgive me, I just want to look out for Elsa. After all, you already know how I feel about her."

"I do."

Belle lowered her voice, "And I know how you feel about her too."

Anna floundered, keeping her cool was not an option once the words were out of Belle's mouth. "I don't see what business of yours it is how I feel about anyone."

"Then I guess it wouldn't be any of my business how you would feel if I told you that she was here?"

Silence. Anna had no response to the suggestion, save to look a little dumbstruck. Elsa was here, of course she was here. Belle would have invited her no doubt, and Elsa, having not heard back from Anna, would have likely accepted. But was she here out of friendship or something more? If she was confiding in Belle then Anna's chances at some kind of eventual reconciliation were looking slimmer by the moment.

"Where is she?"

"Oh, she's around. You do know why I asked for a cake as I did, don't you?" When Anna shrugged, Belle continued with a cheshire grin, "Strawberry is my favorite and chocolate is hers. A perfect mingling of things that we both enjoy. Silly, isn't it?"

Oh yes, the jealousy was bubbling away in her belly now. Belle was very blatantly telling Anna that she still intended to follow through on what she had said previously. "So you're still after her?"

"If you aren't then..."

No words were needed, the silence told Anna all that she needed to know. It was almost as if Belle was putting a fire beneath her feet. Essentially she was being told to act or this bombshell of a woman would be on Elsa the second Anna relented. The only question remaining was how Anna could begin to repair the damage that had already been done.

"I am." Two small words with a world of meaning behind them.

"Excellent."

Anna's brows furrowed in confusion at the genuine happiness that seemed to cross Belle's face. She had just told Belle that she would be trying to win Elsa over, so reasonably Belle should be at least mildly irritated to have a road block in her way, shouldn't she?

"Elsa's in my room, back that way. First door on the left, do join us for cake when you're done speaking to her, won't you?"

And with that Belle flitted into the kitchen to help her father move cookies before calling her guests inside. Anna cautiously followed the given directions, the thought that this was all some sort of elaborate trap floating around at the back of her mind.

She paused as she rounded the corner, she could see the door from here and yet something held her back. Was it the uncertainty of what would happen from here? The doubt that anything she could say would be able to soothe the unintentional hurt that she had surely caused Elsa? Or was it that Anna herself wasn't sure that Elsa wanted her any longer? No one would blame her after the sheer idiocy of all that had transpired, not even Anna.

 _Now or never_. Anna repeated the words in her head like a mantra as she quietly stepped toward the door, trying to put all of the words she needed to say in order.

 **a/n: I apologize for the less than average length of this chapter, there has been a recent death in my family so the next chapter will possibly be a little later than the typical two weeks. Thank you for your continued support.**


	13. Give Me A Reason

Chapter Thirteen: Give Me A Reason

Swallowing hard as she mentally prepared herself for what was to come, Anna slowly poked her head around the corner of the door frame. She had been prepared for just about anything - furious yelling, an onslaught of angry questions, and, though she doubted Elsa would ever raise a hand against someone, she had even prepared herself for things to become physical. What Anna hadn't prepared for, however, was exactly what she got.

The sight that greeted her as she stared into the room was not one of someone who was angry, not even close. Elsa was seated at the edge of Belle's bed, her head cradled between her hands as her back rose and fell with each breath she took. The sight of Elsa leaning forward in such a way was almost frightening to Anna, who had never seen Elsa in such an emotionally vulnerable state. Still, as frightened as Anna was, she would have to seize upon this moment whether it was the right one or not – it may well be her only chance to make things right.

"Elsa?"

Anna's voice was quiet and it shook as she spoke each syllable, but it was enough. She watched as Elsa raised her head slowly and stared forward, her bangs falling from behind her ear and into her face. As she seemed to comprehend who was before her, Elsa's eyes widened in disbelief, or perhaps it was something else? Belle had betrayed Elsa's location, no doubt knowing what was to transpire between the two when she did. It was more likely that Elsa was processing her anger at Belle than that she was surprised to see Anna.

Even as she rose to her feet and gained the height advantage on Anna, Elsa still looked more vulnerable than Anna had ever seen her. Elsa spent a moment straightening her dress before raising her right arm to grasp at her left just below her elbow. For once it was painfully clear exactly how Elsa was feeling, Anna almost regretted that this had to be the first time she was able to read the expression on Elsa's face so clearly.

The emotion was something that they shared in this moment, the intense dread of this situation and how it would play out for both of them. The fear that they would both leave here more hurt and wounded than they had come. Even so, Anna was surprised that Elsa would speak out and continue the conversation first.

"Funny seeing you here, stranger." Elsa smiled and Anna could feel a dull ache rising in her chest, her throat tightening as Elsa's slightly raspy voice reached out to her. Had Elsa been crying? "I thought perhaps you'd fallen off the face of the planet."

Even now, in this increasingly uncomfortable situation, Anna couldn't help herself. She hungrily, almost greedily drank in the vision before her. The cut of Elsa's dress flattered her figure, drew the eyes of any onlookers to the very center of Elsa's chest. For a heartbeat Anna regretted having come in to the room, feeling herself grow weaker the longer she stood and stared openly at Elsa. _How could I have thought I was strong enough to do this?_

"Are you going to say something or would you rather stare at me all day? Not that I mind, but given how things were left I thought..."

Elsa had rolled her eyes, Anna was sure of it, though at the time her own eyes were otherwise occupied and she hadn't seen the gesture. Heat crept up her neck and into her cheeks like a climbing vine, she pointedly looked away from Elsa as she cleared her throat.

"R-right." Anna breathed, swallowing hard as she tried to settle her wildly fluttering heart, "Look, I don't mean to intrude if I'm not wanted, I just..."

"You just what?"

There was an edge to Elsa's voice, sharp and cutting, though the words had been so quickly issued that Anna could have easily imagined it. Still, Anna knew that if Elsa _was_ angry that she more than deserved these emotions. She absolutely deserved to air everything she had been feeling right here and now, with Anna as her willing and captive audience. And Anna knew that she herself had earned a hard talking to, but it seemed that Elsa was content with waiting patiently for an explanation, at least for the moment. This kindness was something that Anna knew she didn't deserve and it made her feel all the more guilt ridden.

"It sounds incredibly lame, and like it's not enough, honestly it's probably not enough, definitely not enough, but I wanted to apologize. I didn't meant to leave you hanging like that..."

She had been rambling, her words coming out in a fevered manner before abruptly trailing off. Anna swore that she could hear Elsa's rage bubbling just below the surface, at least Anna felt like it was rage. Elsa's expression was just so solid now, almost as if she were a statue. Her face was so smooth, so calm, that in any other situation it might have been soothing. Still, Anna knew that this had to be the silence before the true storm began.

"Were you hoping we wouldn't see one another again?"

When the words finally did come, they reflected the calm facade that Elsa held. They were quiet and easily spoken, almost as if she had asked about the weather. Anna shifted nervously on the spot as she felt herself growing more anxious, "That's not it, I just-"

"Just didn't think I deserved a response? Or perhaps you thought if you didn't say anything we could just forget the whole thing?"

That one stung. Anna opened her mouth only to close it quickly after. She decided that she could, and should, do better than to just spout the first thing that came into her mind. That thoughtful silence was quickly filled by Elsa's sombre tones, however.

"Anna, I get it now. I get that you don't want me, but I wished that you had _said_ so at the start. It could have saved us both a lot of embarrassment. And a lot of heartache." Elsa had added the last bit in a quieter tone, but they were still easily heard in the still of Belle's room.

In that moment Anna found herself in a daze, her mouth even hung half open for a moment before she could even begin to truly process what had been said. Don't want Elsa? How could Elsa just assume that Anna didn't want her? Granted, Anna hadn't been entirely clear about her feelings, but still. To just put all that had transpired between them aside seemed a little too much.

"How could you think that?" Anna struggled to control the volume of her voice, finally opting to step out of the doorway and completely into the room. Anna closed the door behind her, hoping to keep their words from bleeding in to Belle's party. The last thing Anna wanted was for this moment to be interrupted by some random person. Or worse, her romantic rival. "Elsa, I know I'm an absolute idiot. You are right, I should have said something. Right from the first moment I saw you at Snow's, I should have said..."

The waters were becoming treacherous now, each woman was clearly struggling, treading as best as they could so as not to drown or drag one another under the swells of emotional anguish. Anna knew that her own emotions were a whirlwind, she was defensive and apologetic all at once, but since that first look of grief and sadness Elsa had hardly expressed anything at all. Anna had expected something, anything, but this lack of emotion made her more uneasy by the minute.

As if sensing Anna's growing unrest, Elsa sighed and her head fell forward as she laughed. It was telling, the sound betrayed her strong facade and spoke volumes of the pain that she was feeling. It seemed as if, at least for the moment, Elsa couldn't maintain her cool demeanor for too long. "I would say that we are in quite a mess here, aren't we Anna?"

"Yeah."

Anna's response had been immediate, no thought had been necessary for her to agree with the painfully true statement. Guilt wracked through her as she toyed with the end of one of her braids, how could she get her point across without causing Elsa more trouble and strife? But her answer would come more quickly than she could have ever expected, bringing with it more confusion and hurt.

"Don't worry about it." Anna looked up and their eyes met. Anna could see that Elsa's eyes were red and glassy, though no tears fell as she spoke. If she hadn't been crying before, then Elsa was clearly fighting back tears now. "This is not the first time I've fallen for a friend and I fear it won't be the last. My heart is to blame, not you. I hope that we can still be friends, I'd miss you too much if you just disappeared on me again. I wouldn't blame you if you did though."

"Wait, what?"

Once again, Anna found that her mouth had moved much faster than her mind. She cursed herself silently for her own inability to speak with some kind of clarity. Elsa needed to know what she was feeling, she needed the truth. Unfortunately, it seemed that Anna would only be able to continue her streak of idiotic behavior. No further words were able to arrange themselves into anything coherent in her mind.

"From the moment I saw you I felt this...this feeling. Growing, though all at once if that makes sense. I convinced myself that we could be something more despite my own doubts. I can see now that it was a delusion that I nursed for just a little while too long. It's clear now though, I know you aren't interested. You're not ready for me, and that's okay. You may never be ready for me, and that's okay too. I just...I don't want to lose you, Anna."

Elsa had never looked so torn, nor had Anna ever felt like such a heel. Heel was a nice way of putting it, really. Anna felt like dirt, like the lowest form of life that she could be. Here was Elsa, normally so calm and collected, pouring her heart out to Anna. All the while, Anna could hardly form a sentence that didn't seem to dig her hole a little deeper. "That's not it at all."

Anna's voice faltered, the pause allowed just enough time for the tension in the room to reach a nearly palpable level. Elsa was clearly waiting for Anna to finish whatever it was she was going to say, but Anna was having difficulty with the words that she was trying to throw together.

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand."

 _Can't you see, neither do I!_ "I don't want to hurt you." Anna mumbled. The words were pitiful, hardly a rational response and certainly well outside of the realm of being any sort of explanation for her actions. It was clear that Elsa seemed to feel the same way, for her brows furrowed and her look of sadness seemed to gain an edge of ire. Was she finally losing her patience?

"What I mean is that I'm not sure-" Anna stammered, hoping beyond hope that she could control the speed of her voice. "-Not that I'm not _sure_ but I've just never done this before and I don't really know exactly what to do or what to say or _how_ to say it and-"

"Anna, slow down. Take a breath."

In that moment, Elsa tentatively stepped toward Anna and Anna's only response was to stop speaking entirely. It was clear that she had begun a spiral and would have to pull out of it before she was misunderstood a second time. "Please don't leave." Anna whined.

Elsa's face spoke her shock and confusion clearly, Anna had struck some sort of chord. "Anna where would I go? More importantly, why would I leave?"

Elsa was right, as usual. She could either stay here in this room with Anna, trying to work things out, or go back out into Belle's party with this additional weight and sadness on her shoulders. Neither option would likely be more appealing than the other to Elsa, Anna thought, but there was still the chance that she might leave.

"I just don't want something to happen like before, I want to make sure I'm saying what needs to be said."

"Then please, say what you will. I'm here, I'm listening."

In that moment Elsa was as regal as ever. Despite the pain and hurt that she no doubt held in her heart, she still managed to look at Anna with compassion and kindness. How she could be so calm and collected when Anna felt like she was falling apart was an unsolvable mystery.

"S-since the moment I met you I knew something was up. I've seen so many women who are just drop dead gorgeous, but you..." Anna paused to swallow, as though the action would banish the rising heat in her cheeks, "I wanted to know you right away, I had no idea why or what weird instinct was making me feel that way but I did. Then we finally did meet and the way you spoke to me, I'm not sure anyone has ever spoken to me like that. It did things to me, something about you had already begun changing the way that I've lived my life for as long as I can remember."

Anna paused again, trying to gauge Elsa's reaction to her words. Thus far Elsa had hardly batted an eye at Anna's words. It was strange to Anna, perhaps more because in her mind she believed that if the situations had been reversed she would have wept with joy. Then, Anna could understand why Elsa might not want to react as well. If she truly believed that nothing would ever happen between them, but still wished to maintain a friendship, that would be the best course of action.

"Anna, not to be rude but we've already had this conversation. You came out to me before, do you recall?"

"That's not what I'm saying. I mean, it _is_ what I'm saying but that's not all there is to it."

Elsa looked expectant now, but still far more friendly than Anna felt she deserved. But Anna's chest rose and fell quickly, her breaths were coming faster as she tried to will the words from her throat. What should she say here? Did she love Elsa or was it merely infatuation and curiosity getting the better of her?

Surely something of that nature would have already passed, but was it love? Anna had no desire to hurt Elsa further, but still the word refused to remove itself from the edge of her tongue. What if it wasn't love she was feeling and she told Elsa that it was? Would Elsa be able to bring herself to forgive her? On the other side of things, what if Anna didn't say it now and lost Elsa because she wasn't forward enough? Belle was just outside that door, after all, and though she had given Anna a chance Anna couldn't be sure that Belle had withdrawn herself entirely from this proverbial race.

"Anna?"

"Elsa, I need you to know something. I'm scared though, because if I say this I could absolutely trash everything that we've built up. Which, I mean I guess we haven't known one another that long so the idea of losing you shouldn't hurt so much, but it does. It hurts to think that I could say something so small and that you might not be in my life anymore."

Another flash of concern ran across Elsa's face, but her only reaction was to step forward and touch Anna's arm briefly. The simple motion was simultaneously comforting and frustrating for Anna, who desperately wanted something more.

"Say whatever it is, Anna. I told you I wouldn't leave."

"I think I have feelings for you."

The words had come out slowly, as deliberately as Anna could manage. A compromise, telling Elsa that there may be feelings without putting too much blame off on to Anna if things were not real. Perhaps it was a cowardly way to go about things, but Anna's desire to keep Elsa in her life outweighed her desire to be bold. Now all that she could do was keep her mouth shut and try to be patient, giving Elsa time to process what had just been said.

XXXXXXXX

Anna's words rang in Elsa's ears, circling around in her mind as if it were a sealed track with no escape. Obviously things were going in a different direction than she had expected them to, she had barely prepared herself for rejection let alone done anything more than thought about the miniscule possibility that she still had a chance. How had things changed so quickly?

"I'm so sorry Anna, I don't mean to seem so aloof but I didn't think that you..."

Having been so strong for such a lengthy time was taking it's toll on her mind, though she had only been doing so to protect herself in the event of rejection. Elsa sighed, bringing her hands to her mouth and smiling behind them in spite of herself.

Had this really just happened? She was elated, over the moon with joy over such a simple statement. It was pathetic how few words Anna had to say to shift Elsa's mood from worried and a little depressed to pleasant, the only thing more pathetic was how quickly Elsa could shut down her own excitement.

"Are you certain, Anna? At your house you said I was getting the wrong idea, if I remember correctly. That was what you said, wasn't it?"

There was no doubt in Elsa's mind that she remembered correctly, the words had practically burned themselves into her mind. She had reviewed the discussion and their interaction that night so many times she could have easily reenacted it as a one woman play. Knowing exactly what was said, but still having to wait for confirmation of it, was causing Elsa's stomach to tighten.

"I was confused! You had been talking about liking someone and I wanted to tell you but it felt like you didn't get that I was feeling things for you. Maybe I wasn't being obvious enough or I could have just been nervous since I wasn't sure who you had been talking about..."

Frustration welled in Elsa as she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Everything, all of this trouble had been because of her misunderstanding about Anna's brother. Elsa had known from the start exactly what she wanted with Anna, but the threat of hurting her in the long run by breaking up a non-existent relationship had frozen her plans long before they could even truly begin.

Hiding her feelings this whole time behind a facade of a mystery love interest seemed like the right thing to do at first, to protect Anna and herself, and now this seemingly brilliant plan was yet another contributing factor to this massive misunderstanding.

"This really is a big mess." Elsa sighed, crossing her arms over her chest as she managed a sheepish smile. "Anna, it's been you all this time. I thought Kristoff was your boyfriend and not your brother so-"

"Wait, you thought I would date _him_? Have you even looked at his face?"

"I had no idea that he was your brother! If I had known, honestly I might have kissed you the first chance that I got."

Silence greeted Elsa's clearly ill advised confession, had she crossed a line? Anna wasn't blushing this time, instead she had begun to look almost pensive. Elsa watched as Anna's normally happy features seemed to twist and distort as she thought hard about either what had been said or what she was about to say. Elsa wanted to apologize, but she refrained for the moment. After all, she wasn't entirely sure how Anna felt about what she had said just yet.

"M-maybe we should?"

"Should? Should what?"

"Kiss. Maybe we should...kiss."

As Elsa felt the all too familiar blush creeping into her cheeks, she took solace in seeing that Anna's face was equally, if not more so, red than she imagined that her own was. How precious Anna looked in this moment, still fiddling with the end of one of her braids and seeming to stare anywhere but at Elsa.

It was clear that she hadn't done anything like this before, at least not with a woman. The act itself was another matter, but even in just the suggestion she seemed a little uncomfortable. As much as Elsa wanted it, wanted to scoop Anna up in her arms and ravish her right here and now, she would have to quell her own desires for the time being. It would likely be best if they were to take things slowly, for Anna's sake.

"Maybe we should." Elsa confirmed, her words were more breathed than spoken. She struggled, willing herself to be strong and to not close the gap between herself and Anna.

For a few moments, it seemed as though neither would move. It looked as though they were at a stalemate that Elsa was too stubborn and Anna was too fearful to break. But just as Elsa was readying herself to speak out, to tell Anna that perhaps now wouldn't be the right time or the right place, Anna took a step forward.

In all her time being around Esmeralda there had been one thing that Elsa had not been able to master – controlling her racing heart when she was in a compromising position. Even when she didn't have feelings for a person, intimate proximity that she hadn't initiated was too much for her to handle calmly. And now, to be so close to Anna, someone she actually did have feelings for...

"I don't want you to get the wrong idea, but I've thought about this a lot."

Anna whispered the words as her fingertips grazed the back of Elsa's hand, very nearly setting the skin there aflame. It took everything Elsa had not to move. She could have easily lessened the feelings building in her chest by taking a step back, but everything inside of her screamed at her to move forward and give in. To make Anna feel the same things that she was feeling. Yet the tiny nagging voice in the back of her mind would not relent, even now.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

Elsa's question was airy and she was sure that it would have been very obvious to Anna that she wanted this. Still, Elsa held back for the sake of Anna. After all, Anna could be confused. She could be unsure about this and forcing herself to make a quick decision that she might regret later. Even so the embers of hope in Elsa's heart had now been fanned into mighty flames, maybe Anna was more certain that Elsa believed.

Anna rocked forward on the balls of her feet, hovering at eye level with Elsa. For a moment, Elsa knew that it would happen. She knew in her heart that soon their lips would touch and all of the doubt and pain would wash away, leaving only their true feelings for one another in its wake. Elsa's eyes slipped closed and she waited for the pressure of Anna's lips against hers.

Elsa felt hot breath on her lips and her heart beat faster with each second of anticipation. Yet she waited and waited with no reaction, so her eyes fluttered open and the air left her lungs. Anna's eyes teemed with confusion and doubt, Elsa's heart dropped immediately. Feeling as though she had been kicked in the chest, Elsa brought her hands up and placed them on Anna's shoulders to press her back down, forcing her feet flat onto the ground.

"Anna, you don't have to do this."

"Elsa, I need to do this. I _need_ to. You have to know that I'm serious, I can't just-"

"Anna, I have every reason not to trust you-" Elsa began, quickly following with the rest of her sentence when Anna immediately looked downtrodden, "-and yet here we are, me trusting that you will be honest with me going forward. I wouldn't expect you to seal it with a kiss, you have already given me a reason to believe that what you say is true. That's all I ask of you."

All at once Anna's face was pressed into Elsa's chest, her arms were wrapped so completely around Elsa that she couldn't even move. It lasted for far too little time, but seeing the grateful look on Anna's face made up for the lack of prolonged contact. "Thank you." Anna's voice was so quiet, but the two little words said so much more to Elsa.

"Now then, shall we return to the party? Perhaps you would let me be your escort?"

"I'm not dressed for that." Anna scoffed, "Besides, Belle didn't invite me. Clearly she doesn't want me here. "

Elsa watched as Anna's eyes rolled and her arms crossed over her chest, it was clear that she was irritated at the idea of not having received an invitation. Given Belle's previous statement of her romantic intentions toward Elsa, Elsa could hardly blame Anna if she was feeling a little jealous. The idea that Anna could be even the slightest bit jealous made Elsa's heart skip a beat.

"Nonsense, she would have kicked you out if she didn't want you here. As for your clothes, you are dressed, so you are dressed for this. If you disagree, I can swap with you. I would much rather be in your pants than in this dress."

"S-swap?"

Anna looked confused, or perhaps frightened, but Elsa had begun to feel playful again. "Certainly, I'd be happy to."

Turning around, Elsa fumbled behind her back with the zipper of her dress. She tugged it down slowly, careful not to catch any of the fabric in it. A strangled squeal sounded from behind her and a hand was on hers within seconds. Elsa whipped around to see Anna's face almost camouflaged with her hair, Elsa had never seen her face so red. "Are you alright?"

"Elsa!" Anna hissed, "You can't do that, those people have seen you in that dress. They'll think something happened and..."

Anna trailed off, a subtle, dreamy expression crossing her features before being quickly shaken away and replaced with a much more serious expression. Clearly, though Anna had just stated her romantic feelings for Elsa, she was not quite ready for this just yet.

"And you wouldn't want them thinking you were familiar with such improprieties."

The words might have seemed to have a little bite to them, were it not for the clearly coy smile dancing on Elsa's lips. Elsa carefully zipped her dress back up, making sure it made it's way back to the top so as not to suggest any funny business to the party goers. This night was proving to be much more interesting than she ever thought that it could have.

XXXXXXXX

Truthfully, though Anna didn't want to admit it, she had every reason to be thankful to Belle tonight. If she hadn't unknowingly ordered a cake from Anna, or let Anna linger in the kitchen, or told Anna that Elsa was there and given her a chance to prove herself...

Anna didn't even want to imagine what kind of a wreck she would have become if she hadn't seen Elsa tonight. It was very possible that she could have missed her chance entirely, even more likely that eventually Elsa would have given in to Belle's advances and Anna would likely have never seen either of them again.

As if summoned by Anna's thoughts, Belle appeared before them with a strange expression on her face and a plate of cake in each hand. Anna couldn't quite place the emotion that was plastered on Belle's face, somewhere midway between disgusted and pleased. It was certainly a unique look.

"So, when will the wedding be?" Belle asked nonchalantly, clearly forcing herself to smile at Anna before very obviously eying Elsa for an answer.

While Anna's jaw nearly hung on the floor, Elsa very carefully took a plate of cake from Belle and smiled in a way that made Anna's body tingle. "Are you asking that I be your bride?"

Clearly Elsa's response hadn't been expected, because Belle's cheeks colored prettily as she pushed the second plate of cake at Anna, staring at Elsa all the while. "You'd turn down a date, but you'd marry me if I asked?" Belle lowered her voice and leaned in closer to Elsa, "You're clearly next level gay."

Both women laughed, clearly it was an inside joke but Anna wasn't entirely sure that she understood. As she wracked her brain to try and decipher the true meaning, the two dug in to their cake. When they were through, Belle took their now emptied plates and flitted back to the rest of her guests.

"What was that all about?" Anna whispered, hoping not to draw the ears of any nearby guests to their conversation.

Elsa seemed to color slightly at the question, running a hand through her bangs and pushing them behind her ear again, "Just a silly stereotype, no need to worry yourself over it. Are you having a pleasant time?"

"I am. Though I had plans of watching crime dramas in my pajamas and not being out at a party, so I think I got the better end of this deal."

"Come now, you underestimate how your presence livened up the place."

"You're just trying to flatter me."

"You are quite cute when you blush, though if I were _really_ trying you would have already swooned and fallen right into my arms."

Anna couldn't help the loud, short laugh that escaped her in reaction to Elsa's incredibly confident statement. Quickly she covered her mouth, lowering her voice as she peered around sheepishly at the few nearby people who had been alarmed by the sudden loud sound. "Is that so? I don't think I'm the swooning type."

Never before in her life had Anna so immediately and completely regretted saying something. The smile that drew Elsa's lips upward was one that told Anna she would be proven wrong, and some small part of her felt very eager to know exactly how. Elsa stepped closer to her and Anna's cheeks had begun to flush involuntarily at the proximity, how could even the simplest movements from Elsa render Anna so weak under her gaze?

"I can make you swoon, if that's what you want."

Anna shivered, Elsa's voice was a little rougher than it had been just a moment ago. Something about it was frightening and surprisingly arousing all at once. Anna couldn't even formulate a response, was there really a polite way to tell someone that you would give anything for them to prove you wrong?

Helplessly, Anna watched as Elsa's tongue slid across her lips in an incredibly suggestive manner. All at once Anna covered her face and turned away as quickly as she could manage to do so, clearing her throat.

"I accept your concession and am happy to continue my reign as the swoon inducing champion." Elsa was the one to laugh now, though she had been much more reserved and quiet in her action.

When Anna finally managed to slow her now hammering heart, she turned to see Elsa's head tilted slightly to the side, a fond smile on her lips. Anna almost couldn't look at Elsa again, Anna kept her hand over her mouth this time to mask at least part of her expression. Certainly she had been leered at before on the streets, had been flirted with, but this...

Maybe it was the fact that it was Elsa, maybe it was the fact that Anna knew now that the subtle and not so subtle things Elsa was doing were genuinely out of romantic interest, but everything seemed so much more intense now. Her skin burned as she tried to recoup her mind and wrangle in her ever growing sexual visions of Elsa.

"You shouldn't do that."

"Oh?" Elsa looked concerned, but Anna could see that her eyebrow was raised as if she could tell what Anna was about to say. Still, she apologized, "I'm sorry, I won't do it again."

"No!" Anna croaked, finally dropping her hands back to her sides, "No, I just mean it's so public here..."

"And you're concerned that someone might see?"

Guilt welled in Anna's stomach, was that the reason? Or was it simply because she couldn't be sure of how she would react to Elsa's taunting if it were to continue? Perhaps it was a very small, deeply primal part of Anna that knew exactly how things would turn out if she were to continue to be teased like that. _We haven't even kissed, I can't keep thinking like this._

"No."

By some small miracle, or Elsa's better instinct, the conversation seemed to fizzle then and there. The rest of the night went off without a hitch and without any further tests of Anna's limitations. Though Anna was a little sad when they bid one another farewell outside of Belle's party and Elsa made no attempt to weasel a kiss out of her, she reminded herself that she _had_ only a few hours prior been unable to kiss Elsa. Elsa's chivalry only served to stoke the fires of Anna's inappropriate thoughts, however.

After arriving home and taking a cold shower, Anna was fairly confident that she had shaken all the thoughts away. And for a while it seemed as if she had. She was able to play around on her laptop and watch a few episodes of one of her favorite crime dramas before finally giving in to the need for sleep.

Before settling in to bed for the night, Anna grabbed her phone to set an alarm and was instead greeted with a text message. ' _Sweet dreams._ ' Elsa had written. No smiley faces, no other notation. Two words with so many different possible meanings. Anna brushed it off at first, obviously Elsa was just thinking about her and wanted to wish her a good night's rest.

Still, as she climbed into her bed and nestled into her favorite blanket, something nagged at her. There was another possibility, after all, to the meaning behind the message. Anna's eyes were closed a mere half a second before her mind had conjured the image of Elsa winking, then licking her lips and saying those very words, 'sweet dreams.'

Anna started, her eyes shot open as she rolled over in an attempt to shake the combined feelings of mortification and arousal that threatened to overtake her. _I shouldn't be ashamed though..._ she told herself, rationalizing that this was a perfectly normal response to the closeness that she had experienced with Elsa tonight. The minutes dragged by painfully slowly as Anna tried time and time again to get to sleep, only succeeding in closing her eyes for a few minutes here and there before another risque image of her not just yet girlfriend reappeared in her mind.

Heaving a frustrated sigh, Anna rolled again so that she was flat on her back. Draping an arm over her eyes Anna realized just how red her face must have been. The heat from her cheeks could be felt even without touching them.

How pathetic was she, exactly, to be so enamored with someone she had hardly even touched? Clearly, she reasoned, she was just romanticizing the thought of what their relationship would grow into. Obviously Elsa had no desire to become physical with Anna just yet, right? And yet Anna, sprawled pitifully on her bed, could hardly shake the image of Elsa seeming to seduce her from her mind.

Eventually Anna gave in, her thoughts were too overpowering and she was either too weak or too full of desire to avoid it any longer. Her fingers began their work, doing what they will, as her mind attempted to convince her that it was Elsa's fingers rather than her own. It took only a few minutes before she was panting heavily and feeling overly pleased with herself.

 _What would Elsa think if she knew this was how you acted as soon as she left your side?_

 ** _a/n: I appreciate you all being patient with me, thank you again for your reviews and follows!_**


	14. Take My Breath Away

Chapter Fourteen: Take My Breath Away

As she sat at her desk in her cubicle, Anna smiled fondly down at a blank pad of sticky notes as she reminisced. They had emerged at the other side of a maelstrom of hurt and strife relatively unscathed, she and Elsa. Every time Anna thought about how she had waited she found herself on the verge of laughter, how could she have been so stupid as to think that things would go poorly? Some deep part of her had known the whole time that nothing but good could come of her confession, if only she had listened sooner.

Though they hadn't been out together since the night of Belle's birthday party, the phone calls came frequently and the text messages even more frequently. The increased interaction had had a wonderful effect on the normally scatterbrained Anna. Every day her work was done on time and all of her client issues had been resolved before she headed home. Her coworkers thought she had simply found a spark of motivation, but none had known the truth. She was falling for someone, falling for a woman.

How could they know the truth? How could she casually insert those words into conversation? 'Oh, your weekend sounds lovely! I spent my weekend smiling like an idiot at my cell phone while talking to my maybe girlfriend.' Even thinking the words sounded silly in her mind. They were still an undefined, a question mark and nothing more.

Yet at the same time they were so, so much more. They were little good mornings and wishes of good luck during meetings, they were genuine compliments when a photo of an outfit looked flattering, they were sweet conversations before bed and sleepily muttered 'good night's, they were...they were friends and something a little more.

The numbers at the bottom of her screen rolled over to five o'clock and Anna, who had finished with her workload nearly half an hour earlier, clocked out as quickly as she could. Any other evening she might have been able to quickly make her way out the door before anyone caught her, eager to respond to the gentle buzzing in her pocket, but tonight would be different. As she rounded the corner of her cubicle Anna nearly bowled someone over in her hurry.

"Anna,dear. How lovely it is to see you again, I had thought that you might have left us!"

Anna suppressed the look of dread and irritation on her face as best as she could. Turning around, she forced a small smile in the direction of one of her longest standing and most nosy co-workers. "Of course not, Miss Gothel. You know I would never just up and leave!"

"What a pleasant thing to hear. I see you're heading out right on time, that's certainly a change. If I recall correctly you currently hold the record for having to leave after hours. Is there some reason your work ethic has changed or were you just lucky with your client draw today?"

Anna's smile faltered, but she pressed on through the conversation – the sooner this was over with the sooner she would be able to get away and get to Elsa. "Just luck of the draw I guess."

"Come now dear, there must be something driving you to work so hard?" Gothel smiled and toyed with the strap of her gaudy purse, "Perhaps a young man has found his way into your life?"

Anna couldn't push away the heat creeping into her cheeks, though she did manage to laugh and try to play it off as she rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Of course not, nothing like that."

"Now, now. No need to fib to mother."

The words caused Anna's skin to crawl. For as long as Anna and Gothel had worked together the woman had insisted that she and every other female in the building call her 'mother.' Whether it was the lack of her own children or some other reason, no one had ever been able to decipher. Everyone did know, however, that the suggestion was a strange one, to say the least.

Despite what she claimed was her advanced age, the woman hardly looked out of her late thirties, maybe early forties at the latest. Her hair was still lush and curly and black as night, her skin hardly had a wrinkle on it, it was quite unnerving that someone like her could even want to be called 'mother' by a bunch of random coworkers.

"I-I'm not." _Damn it._ Of all the times for Anna to falter, did it have to be right then?

"You know, a man might be just what you need. Do be careful though, snakes hide in the most beautiful of skins. They all bite in the end though, dear." Gothel had already begun to walk away by this point, waving a hand in the air at Anna as she left the building. Clearly she didn't intend Anna to respond, but just before she left, she added, "Sooner or later they all bite."

Anna's eyes narrowed as the watched the crone retreat to her own vehicle, she made sure that the car was no longer in the lot before exiting the building herself. What exactly was Gothel getting at? Why bother asking about Anna's love life if her only intent was to attempt to throw a wrench into it? As she sat down in her own car, Anna quickly yanked out her phone and forgot all about the resident office creepy lady.

' _Anna, would you be opposed to having a late dinner with me this evening? My place?_ '

Simple text on a screen should not make a heart race, but Anna's clearly didn't know the rules. It had been a while since they had seen one another, after all, and her nerves were frayed at the very idea of seeing Elsa in her own environment. What would Elsa's place look like? Would it be full of books? Did she have any pets? Anna had never been so excited to find the answers to such mundane questions.

Once Elsa had received her acceptance, Anna was greeted with a small barrage of queries regarding her likes and dislikes of food and drink – though Elsa kept quiet about what exactly would be made for the meal. Something that might normally have been irksome just served to add another layer of excitement Anna hurried home to get out of her work clothes and into something a little more 'her.'

Yet as she stood in front of her closet, the decision of what exactly was 'her' became more difficult the longer she stared. Elsa had seen her plenty of times in jeans, so why not go with jeans? Or was it smart to try and shake things up, wear something unexpected? Quite suddenly an uneasy feeling washed over her, what if things went farther than they had previously? If Elsa had invited her to her home for a made from scratch dinner that might mean...

Anna panicked. In an instant she was at her dresser, tossing under things all around her room and searching for something, anything, that wasn't too childish. Snowmen,various superheroes, penguins, reindeer...all of it seemed like it would be the cause of laughter if things did progress between them. Swallowing her pride, Anna snatched up the reindeer themed underwear and, having used all of her judgment on something that might not even be seen, threw on a pair of shorts and a light gray tee shirt with a cutesy cartoon character emblazoned across the front.

Yet even as she tugged the shirt over her head and stared in the mirror, the feeling of unease in her stomach only grew. Though the possibility of things heating up on what would essentially be their first one on one date was slim, Anna's mind couldn't rest without considering it. Would she need to bring anything along with her in case she needed...protection? Anna shook the thought quickly, obviously things weren't going to get to that level. And if they did, she would just rationally discuss them with Elsa and figure things out then and there, right?

The drive to Elsa's place had been far too short for Anna's liking. Nerves knotted her stomach as Anna pulled into the parking lot of Castle Heights Apartments, noting that the bright, cabin-esque exterior was hardly what she had expected. The walls seemed to be wooden, but as she made her way up the first set of stairs she realized that it was merely a cover of some sort, done purely for the aesthetic. That made a little more sense in her mind, though it was still an odd thing to do.

Number twenty three came sooner than Anna expected, she had hardly made it up the flight of stairs when she noticed the numbers hanging to the left of the stairs. The door to Elsa's apartment looked very much like the others, though hers was noticeably bare. Her neighbors had some welcome signs or cheesy wreaths, but the only form of decoration Elsa had, if you could even call it that, was a plain black door mat.

Knocking on the door Anna began to rock back and forth on her feet, worrying that maybe she had gotten the wrong apartment when it took longer than expected for her to hear any sound coming from inside. Just as she was ready to retreat back to her car, however, a deadbolt slid and the door opened to a slightly flustered looking Elsa.

 _How cute!_ "Sorry, I'm a little early..."

"You're just in time!"

Elsa didn't seemed to be bothered by Anna's early arrival, in fact she almost seemed elated. Anna smiled tentatively as Elsa shut and locked the door behind her before motioning for Anna to follow her. Anna followed, but her pace was slow as she attempted to casually take in the appearance of the living area.

The room as clean and clearly well kept, just as Anna expected there was a large bookshelf overflowing with books large and small. Despite the modest size of the apartment Elsa had both a regular sized couch as well as a love seat, even her television was a rather impressive size. By the time Anna reached the kitchen Elsa was already there, hands on the back of a chair that she seemed to have pulled out just for Anna.

"Wow, this looks incredible." Anna mumbled, her eyes widening as she realized just how much effort Elsa must have put in to this evening.

The smell was the first thing that had struck her as she sat down, her mouth had begun to water the moment she had taken her seat. There were a variety of vegetables, as well as different types of side dishes. Most noticeable was the plate of chicken breast in the center of the table, garnished in some sort of honey colored sauce and nestled atop a bed of what looked to be some type of rice. Anna was stunned, and clearly Elsa had noticed her reaction.

"I take it this is to your liking?"

Anna nodded fervently, "This is practically a banquet, you should have let me come over even earlier to help you. I feel bad that you did all this by yourself."

Truthfully, she felt awful. Anna had spent so much time worrying about her own appearance that she hadn't even given a second thought to poor Elsa slaving away over a hot stove to prepare all of this bounty for her. What kind of girlfriend would she be if she couldn't even consider something like that at this point in their semi-relationship?

"Don't." Elsa smiled, placing her elbows on the table and smiling in a way that made Anna's anxious stomach settle, "The look on your face was worth every bit of work."

Everything seemed to come so easily to Elsa. She could cook, paint, had incredible hair and a stunning body, and far more than her fair share of eloquence. And here, across from this picture of perfection, sat Anna. Her braids were messy despite her best efforts, she was so nervous that even her fork shook as she ate, and she simply couldn't begin to compare to Elsa. What was it about her that drew Elsa to her? They said opposites attract, whoever they are, but could that really be the reason?

"You look tense, is everything alright? If something is bad you can tell me, I'm not the best cook in the world or anything."

"No, no! That's not it at all."

"Then what is it? Is something bothering you? Did something happen at work today?"

 _Yes and no..._ The memories of 'mother' Gothel swam in her head momentarily, but Anna shook them away. "I'm just...this seems like so much for you to have done alone..."

"I told you already, it isn't a big deal. I'm happy to do it, especially for you."

"But why?"

Anna couldn't look at Elsa as she asked the question, she chose instead to keep her eyes fixed firmly on her plate as she waited for an answer. The seconds seemed to stretch into minutes, though she was certain that hardly any time had passed by. The question was ridiculous, if she was being realistic with herself. How could she just ask something like that of Elsa, who had no real relationship with her outside of an, until recently, strained friendship?

"Anna, haven't we been through this? You know how I feel about you, what better way to show you than to feed you? That old saying 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach' works with women too, you know."

She couldn't help it, Anna snorted and stifled her laughter. "So you're feeding me to make me like you?"

"Is that really so wrong?"

All at once Anna was laughing away all of the anxiousness that had grown inside of her, feeling so much more at ease when she was finally able to stop laughing. While Elsa seemed to be the queen of cool, even she seemed to be concerned that the night might not go so well. What better way to keep things running smoothly than to feed your guest?

"No, but I'm surprised that you'd even think you have to try." The words escaped her and she immediately looked up, wide eyed, at Elsa. How could she have said such a thing so easily? "I mean you're just so beautiful and..."

There was no amount of stammering or blushing that could mask the words that she'd already spoken. It was so quiet in the apartment that there was no doubt in her mind that Elsa had heard her. Still, was there really cause to fret? Anna had already made her feelings clear after all.

"Thank you, Anna, but you must know that you yourself are quite attractive. I'm certain that I've already told you as much."

"Yeah, but, it's not true."

"I could easily say the same about you telling me that I'm beautiful."

Flustered, Anna closed her mouth and refrained from discussing the subject any further. She couldn't help but notice the small, triumphant smile on Elsa's face. Clearly Elsa had seen Anna's silence as a win, even Anna couldn't argue that her logic had been soundly defeated.

Anna watched as Elsa smiled coyly across the table at her, happily devouring the last bite of rice from her place before pushing away from the table as if she were going to clean things up. Anna followed suite, trailing behind her and being as helpful as she could possibly be in spite of Elsa's repeated protests. Anna was more than happy to assist in the efforts to clear the table, even if Elsa was being difficult about it. But once the table was cleared, the food was put away, and the dishes safely nestled in the dishwasher, things seemed as if they would be taking an interesting turn.

"I know I just asked you for dinner, but it being a Friday evening..." Elsa trailed off, suddenly looking significantly more meek than Anna had ever seen her. Was this the impending question? "I thought you might like to also join me for a movie? Here, of course. I wouldn't drag you out all around town at this hour."

Truthfully Anna was nervous, after all this was how things progressed in cheesy romance films wasn't it? Boy meets girl, invites her over for a movie and then... But things were different, Elsa was certainly no boy and she had shown that she had significantly higher amounts of self control than any other person that Anna knew. Still...

"This wouldn't be a clever ruse to get into my pants would it?"

For the first time, Anna saw Elsa's face in a complete state of shock. Immediately Elsa shook her head in protest, "Of course not, I would never force myself on you Anna."

"I was only teasing."

"O...of course you were."

The little rush of bravery, or perhaps it was stupidity, had paid off. Elsa now seemed a little more at ease and Anna had felt the little butterflies in her stomach return in place of the nerves. And so she initiated the movements towards Elsa's couch, taking a seat along the left arm and tucking her feet up beneath her. Elsa sat in the center, giving Anna a respectable amount of space, and switched on the television.

"Let's watch something scary!" Elsa said with a wicked grin, though she did pause to look at Anna for confirmation before actually selecting something.

Anna, who didn't truly care for frightening films, hesitated for a moment. "Not too scary though..."

"You got it!"

XXXXXXXX

Elsa, who had been sitting somewhat on the edge of the couch, had finally begun to relax and sink into the couch about half an hour into the film. She was careful not to intrude in Anna's space when she rested her left hand on the cushion between them. Anna sat so quietly, hardly even moving as the film built slowly up toward the inevitably frightening climax. Elsa fretted beside her, had she chosen something too scary for Anna?

She wouldn't have long to contemplate if she had chosen correctly or not. On screen, from between a thick grove of trees ahead of the protagonists, a massive beast rushed toward the group, fangs dripping in blood. A thunderous roar escaped its' dripping jowls as it advanced on them, easily picking off the slowest one as they attempted their escape. Anna made no sound, but her hand shot down to the cushion of the couch and gripped Elsa's hand tightly.

Whether it was done on purpose or instinctively out of sheer terror Elsa had no clue, all that mattered was that Anna was holding her hand. Not just holding it, initiating contact with Elsa in the most unapologetic of ways! Though the images on the screen were grisly, Elsa's heart fluttered in her chest as though they were watching a romantic film. Truthfully she wondered how she could feel so giddy and nervous, after all she had done much 'worse' things with other women. Elsa couldn't help but wonder, was it because it was Anna that she felt this attraction so strongly?

As the remaining protagonists escaped the gruesome beast Anna's grip loosened but her hand did not move from atop Elsa's. In fact, Anna's fingers seemed to gently nudge between Elsa's, or was she imagining it? Elsa debated for a few moments, wondering if she was imagining the subtle movements of Anna's fingers. Was Anna really trying to hold her hand or was Elsa's wishful thinking too strong for her own good? There was only one way to know.

Smoothly Elsa turned her hand and laced her fingers between Anna's. At first Anna's hand tensed and Elsa could almost taste the regret rising within her. But just as Elsa was mentally preparing herself to break the contact between them, Anna's fingers gripped her hand as well. Elsa couldn't help the little grin that tugged at her lips, she didn't even have to look at Anna to know that she, too, was smiling.

Despite her original 'outburst,' Anna didn't seem to have any further adverse reactions to the film. In fact, somewhere between the first attack of the beast and the counter attack mounted by the protagonists, Anna's grip on Elsa's hand seemed to lessen. It wasn't long after that Anna slumped sideways, ending up with her head on Elsa's shoulder. Elsa's heart raced as she tried her hardest not to look down at Anna, but the temptation was too great.

As Elsa's eyes trailed down, her lips turned up in a fond smile. In the flickering light from the screen Anna's face looked almost cherubic. Her eyes were shut, though they seemed to shift beneath their lids as though she were dreaming. Anna must have had a harder day than she had let on, but Elsa was not about to wake Anna and ruin this beautiful moment.

But Anna was unwittingly making things so very hard! The quiet little breaths escaping Anna's parted lips fell like ghosts of kisses on Elsa's neck. Goosebumps rose on her arm as she bit her bottom lip, a sad attempt to control the heat spreading through her body. _What is she trying to do to me?_ Even as she slept, Anna was finding new ways to thrill Elsa.

Still, a small portion of her felt guilty for enjoying this closeness so much. After all, if Anna were awake there was likely no way that she would be leaned up against Elsa, let alone purposefully breathing against Elsa's neck like this... The other part of Elsa was begging her to give in, despite how perverse it may have been, to the feelings of want. Who would it hurt if she just sat and enjoyed these too short, and unintentional, moments of intimacy?

This was wrong on so many levels, this feeling of desire, lust, building within her. Elsa knew it was wrong, there was no way to rationalize the things her mind was doing because of the actions of poor, sleeping Anna. Anna would likely be disgusted if she could hear the way Elsa's breath was growing uneven and ragged, if she could feel Elsa's heart beating as though she'd just run a marathon.

If she were honest with herself, the reaction her body was having to this closeness was certainly not the one she expected. She had been with women in intimate situations before, but more often than not it took a little more than just closeness and hot breaths on her neck before she started feeling this special way. What was it about Anna that made this reaction so intense?

By the end of the movie, Elsa's skin felt as though it were on fire. Having finally calmed herself down enough to interact normally, she reasoned that now would be a perfect time to wake Anna. Gently Elsa squeezed Anna's hand. "A-Anna?"

"What? What did I miss?"

Elsa was suddenly quite thankful for the dim lighting in the room, she couldn't help the way that she had smiled upon seeing Anna raise her head. Anna's hair was slightly mussed and she tried in vain to stifle a loud yawn.

"Nothing much. The monster is dead and only one hero remains." Elsa said, finally looking at Anna in the darkness. "I guess this wasn't scary enough for you, I'll find a better one next time."

"I didn't mean to fall asleep, it's just been a long day..."

Anna seemed genuinely remorseful, even so Elsa decided to have a little fun with her. "Don't worry, you didn't drool on me too much."

"Drool? I do _not_ drool."

"Tell that to my shoulder." No sooner had the words left her mouth than was Anna's free hand on her shoulder, slowly feeling for any sign of wetness. Elsa's breath caught in her throat and she did the best that she could to play off her tiny gasp as being nothing, "I was kidding." she breathed, simultaneously remorseful and thankful that Anna's hand retreated. Even such a small touch felt electric, Elsa was beginning to think that she would never understand why she was so malleable beneath Anna's touch.

"I should get going..." Anna's voice was strange, and despite her mention of leaving her grip on Elsa's hand tightened.

 _You don't have to_. The words rang clearly in Elsa's ears, almost as if she had spoken them aloud. She would never have said them, at least not this soon, but the thought was still there. What she wouldn't give to have Anna stay, even if just to have her sleep in Elsa's bedroom and Elsa on the couch...it was too much to ask of Anna, though.

"I trust you'll let me know if any hideous beasts try to steal you away?"

"I don't think Kristoff said he'd be coming over any time soon, so I should be perfectly fine."

Laughter rang out in the small living area, clearly too loud for the downstairs neighbor who jammed something into the floor of Elsa's apartment with a thunk – both Elsa and Anna jumped at the sudden sound. Elsa glared down at the floor and stuck her tongue out, rolling her eyes dramatically in a silly display that she hoped would bring a smile to Anna's face again. Oh that smile! Seeing Anna smile was something Elsa didn't think she would ever tire of.

Elsa concealed the frown that threatened to overtake her face as Anna rose from the couch, her hand sliding away from Elsa's with ease. Anna still smiled nervously so Elsa, too, rose to her feet.

"Your keys should still be by the door." she said quietly, wondering if Anna could hear how hard she was struggling to sound happy, "I'm really glad you came tonight, I don't have guests often. Particularly not guests that I actually enjoy being around."

"What about Esmeralda?"

Elsa scoffed, trying desperately to hide her laughter. Anna had clearly missed her meaning, "Not nearly as interesting as you."

And so they stood in front of Elsa's door, silently stealing glances at one another as both tried to feel out how they should say their goodbyes. Elsa's hands twitched a time or two as she thought she might try to reach out to Anna for a hug, or even just to touch her arm, but she thought better of it. Now that she was awake, Anna might not be as open to such physical displays of affection in such a personal space.

"Could I..." Elsa tensed as Anna began to speak, but she remained silent, smiling fondly at Anna as she waited patiently for the rest of her sentence. "Would you mind if...if we k-kissed? G-goodnight I mean, as a goodnight...kiss...if not that's fine. In fact, forget I asked. I'm going to go."

Clearly Anna was flustered, but the stuttering and stumbling over her words only made her all the more appealing to a more than happy to comply Elsa. "I thought you'd never ask."

XXXXXXXX

Anna's heart raced, her eyes widening slightly as she realized not only what she had just asked of Elsa, but also that Elsa had agreed so easily. Anna had just, quite rudely, fallen asleep and leaned on Elsa with no permission whatsoever and now she was asking for something much, much more physical? Was it greedy of her to want this, to want something to seal the evening despite the fact that she had been unconscious for a large portion of it?

"That was too forward, I'm sorry. I can't believe I said that." Anna attempted to laugh off her suggestion, but as she looked up at Elsa's expression again she felt a jolt of heat rush through her chest, just what was that expression on her face? Was Elsa sad at the idea that she might not be able to kiss Anna? "But I mean if you're game then I am too..."

The addition seemed to perk Elsa back up, she was smiling that perfect, genuine smile that Anna was coming to love more and more every time she saw it. Turning her back to the door, Anna stood nervously in front of Elsa. It was hard to maintain eye contact with her now, knowing that in the very near future they would be kissing.

Licking her lips Anna chuckled nervously and was again met with a kind smile. Elsa had been ever so patient this whole time and even now, when Anna had been wishy washy on her desire for a goodnight kiss, Elsa still showed no signs of growing impatient. How anyone could be so stupid as to lose Elsa, how _she_ could have been so stupid as to almost lose Elsa, was a complete mystery to her now.

Anna's hands shook as she stepped toward Elsa, her nerves caused her breathing to become more rapid and she was certain her palms were damp with sweat. Still, Anna pressed on. A sense of deja vu overtook her as she rose to her tip toes to be face to face with Elsa. This time, however, she only paused for a second before leaning forward – it was now or never.

As her lips touched Elsa's Anna swore she felt lightning shoot through her, from her lips to her toes and back again. And quite suddenly she felt as though she were melting to the floor, she exhaled through her nose and leaned forward to prolong the kiss. Anna found she was unable to control her hands as they rose, gripping Elsa's forearms for support.

That simple touch was all it took to break down Elsa's walls, it seemed, for she quickly released her arms from Anna's grip and wrapped them around Anna's waist to pull her closer. Anna wrapped her arms around Elsa's neck with no objection to the proximity. What had come over her? Was Elsa wearing some kind of aphrodisiac or something? Anna flushed with embarrassment as she moaned into Elsa's mouth and quite swiftly broke the kiss, clutching the back of Elsa's shirt in a feeble attempt to ground herself.

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to..."

Anna tried to defend herself, despite knowing that Elsa likely wasn't offended in the least at the sounds she had made. Truthfully she _did_ mean to, Anna meant every last bit of what she had already done and more than anything she wished she hadn't been so quick to break off the kiss. Anna bit her bottom lip as she tried to calm herself down, the heat in her chest had begun to spread in a dangerous way.

"No, no, it's fine." Elsa's voice was breathy and she smiled down at Anna with something that looked to be lust in her eyes, "I shouldn't have-"

But Elsa wouldn't finish her sentence, without warning Anna leaned forward again, this time pressing her lips hard against Elsa's. She was insistent now, her own arms pulling Elsa's face toward her own. Despite her seemingly erratic antics, Elsa seemed happy enough to continue the 'goodnight kiss.'

Anna pressed multiple small kisses onto Elsa's lips, no longer feeling the shame that she had first felt at the little sound of pleasure she had made. In fact, she quickly came to realize that those sounds only served to intensify the emotions in the air. Feeling brave, Anna had dared to nip at Elsa's bottom lip and earned a strained groan from Elsa. The sound had set her desire into overdrive, Anna couldn't help herself as she responded with more eager kisses.

When they had stopped kissing Anna had no idea, but she knew that she now had her head leaned against Elsa's shoulder to hide the intense color on her cheeks. At least, that's what she told herself. More likely she feared looking Elsa in the eye now, how do you end a night after something like that? How do you just walk away from such a passionate event?

"Are you alright, Anna? Did we..." Elsa hesitated, raising a hand to place it gently on top of Anna's head, "...did I push the envelope too far tonight?"

"What? No!" Despite enjoying the brief presence of Elsa's hand in her hair Anna raised her head and looked up at Elsa, eyes alight with defiance. "I wanted this, I _asked_ for this. You had no reason not to give me what I asked for."

The words had come out all wrong, it sounded like Anna was insinuating that anything she asked of Elsa should be given. It was far too late now though, the wicked, playful grin had returned to Elsa's lips. "Oh? Do tell, what else would you like me to give you?"

The heat between her legs couldn't be denied, or suppressed, at this point, and surely Elsa was in the same state. Anna had prepared for things to go much further than they had, but Elsa hadn't pushed for anything at all. It was clear that she was waiting for signals from Anna on how far they should proceed, a respectful, albeit frustrating, situation indeed.

Anna playfully pushed Elsa away, crossing her arms over her chest in mock anger. "You don't have to be so mean to me."

"I think you might like it if I were mean to you."

Anna swallowed hard, the very thought was more than her brain could process given all that had already transpired. No words seemed like the right ones to say, Anna could hardly admit openly that she might enjoy it, but denying it would only challenge Elsa to push the envelope and test her.

"I should go." Anna reiterated, managing a small smile at Elsa.

"Be careful on your way home tonight."

Elsa had surprisingly gracefully accepted Anna's need to leave, something that both pleased and displeased Anna. If Elsa really wanted her, really, really wanted her, wouldn't she have tried to invite Anna to stay? Wouldn't she have fought harder to keep her here?

"I will."

A gnawing feeling rose in Anna's stomach as Elsa opened the front door for her, leaning against the side of the door with a small smile dancing on her lips. Something in the way Elsa looked propped against the door conjured images of coming home to her just like that, waiting with a smile at the front door for Anna to return to her. Anna shook the thought, smiled, and waved to Elsa one last time before starting down the stairs.

"Sweet dreams."

Elsa had called it down the stairs as if she had had to build the courage to say the words that she had typed each night out loud. Anna paused mid step, glancing back up to see Elsa still in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest now and...was that a hint of sadness in her expression, or was Anna imagining it?

"You too."

 **a/n: Hello again and thank you all for sticking with me to this point! I will be doing my best to get you another chapter as soon as possible, but I have a week long trip coming up soon so I will be losing some time. I hope that you can continue to be patient with me, as always I appreciate you all.**


	15. Heart Shaped Box

Chapter Fifteen: Heart Shaped Box

In the days following Anna's departure from her apartment, the days following their first kiss, Elsa's normally routine conversations with Anna had begun to change. Suddenly Anna was less swift in her responses and significantly less enthusiastic to hear from Elsa. The length of their phone calls had shortened to mere minutes where they had lasted for an hour or more previously. From Elsa's point of view it seemed as though the fire in their 'relationship' had already begun to fizzle. Had it been a mistake allowing something so physical to happen so soon?

Elsa begrudgingly sketched yet another wine glass and high heeled shoe on yet another canvas, it was the fifth in a series of seven that she would have to prepare for this evening's bachelorette night. She'd had weeks to prepare, but this project had taken a back seat to her desire to spend time with Anna.

 _It wasn't all that physical_ she reasoned to herself sourly, grumbling under her breath as she set aside canvas five and began her work on the sixth, _It was just a kiss._

But had it been too much for Anna? It had been a long kiss after all. A series of kisses, really. A long, passionate series of heated kisses. During which she had practically locked Anna against her own body and greedily given in to at least some small part of her baser desires.

"What did I do wrong?" Elsa groaned the words to herself, but she had to suppress a shout when she actually received a response.

"You did something wrong? _Without_ me? Tell me everything!"

Esmeralda had apparently let herself in while Elsa had been focused on replicating the same sketch again and again. Elsa mentally reminded herself to start locking the door when she was here alone.

"It's nothing."

"It's clearly not nothing, you've been moping around like you lost your puppy for _days_. You haven't even been answering my calls!" Esmeralda huffed, opening the refrigerator as though she expected there to be something she could take. "Don't tell me you fucked things up with Anna already?"

 _Maybe I did_... "You know, most friends might be a little more supportive in my hour of need." Elsa pouted out her bottom lip in feigned sadness.

Esmeralda perked up, she very quickly closed the door to the fridge and made her way to Elsa's side. Kneeling beside Elsa, Esmeralda grasped Elsa's knee as if in some noble act of contrition. "Oh my dear Elsa, my most beloved Elsa. Please, lay upon mine ears your worldly problems and I, your most faithful companion, will do what I can to assuage them."

There was only half a second of serious silence before Esmeralda snorted and began laughing herself to tears, clutching her stomach as she rolled around on the floor at Elsa's feet. Elsa rolled her eyes as dramatically as she could manage to before continuing her sketches.

"I can't believe there was ever a time that I thought you were an adult." Elsa's expression hardened, though there wasn't any seriousness behind her words.

When Esmeralda had finished her little laughing fit, she sat up and smiled upward at a still frowning Elsa. "I know I'm being a pain, but you know that I love you."

Silence hung between them as Esmeralda stared expectantly upward, her smile never faltering. It didn't take long for Elsa's strong, angry facade to crumble. Esmeralda had, after all, been there for her even when she didn't want to be there for herself.

"I love you too." Elsa grumbled, rolling her eyes once more, as if the words had been painful to say.

"Now, tell me what's wrong before I lose interest."

Playfully glaring at the jape, Elsa finally ceased her sketching and put her pencil down. She pinched the bridge of her nose for only a moment before climbing down from the chair and joining her 'most faithful companion' on the floor. She wondered if they weren't too old to be sitting cross legged on the floor swapping secrets, but the thought passed quickly – they would never be too old for anything it seemed.

"I invited Anna to my house a few days ago and-"

"Oh my _gods_ you slept with her didn't you?"

Elsa shut her eyes for a few seconds, taking a deep breath to ground herself before opening her eyes again and taking in Esmeralda's shocked expression. "Of course I didn't. You know I would never-"

"Force yourself on anyone. I know. But she definitely wants to-"

"Are you going to let me finish?" Elsa's frustration had easily shown through, her tone was significantly more sharp than it had been previously. She hadn't meant to be so curt, not truly, but Esmeralda would draw this already painful conversation out much longer if Elsa didn't keep things moving. "I invited her for dinner, then asked her to stay for a movie. When she was leaving she asked if we could kiss goodnight and things got a little...well, we'll say they progressed as much as they could without going further than kissing."

All the while Elsa had spoken, Esmeralda looked positively ready to burst with some witty remark, her mouth had even opened at one point as if she had something to say. Whether out of a valiant effort to not interrupt or the fear of what Elsa might say if she did interrupt again, Esmeralda had let her finish unencumbered.

"That sounds like a good thing though?" Esmeralda tentatively offered, looking quite confused as to why Elsa might be upset about something that she had waited such a long time for.

Elsa whined, leaning forward so that she could put her face in her own hands. "I barely hear from her anymore. And when I do it's like...it's almost like things have rolled back to the way they were before."

"Oh Els..." Esmeralda gently tugged Elsa's hands down into her own and Elsa stared at her with watery eyes, waiting to see what she would have to say about the uncharacteristic insecurity that Elsa was showing, "No big deal, I think Anna might just be busy. Unless she says outright that she's not interested anymore then I wouldn't worry about it, yeah?"

Sniffling, Elsa nodded. She felt miserable, but Esmeralda was right. Anna would have most certainly told her if things had moved too fast. Elsa would have to remind herself consistently that the little, negative voice in her mind wasn't always as right as it sounded.

"So." Esmeralda released Elsa's hands and stood up, offering a hand to help Elsa up as well. "What's all this junk for?"

Allowing herself to be tugged upward, Elsa nearly stumbled but found her feet before she could topple over. Esmeralda gestured vaguely in the direction of the canvases, but made no further clarifying remarks.

"You _do_ know what my job is, don't you?"

"You know that's not what I meant." It was Esmeralda's turn to look irritated and roll her eyes.

"It's for some pre-wedding party. It will prove to be a very interesting event if the others are anything like the woman who came in to reserve the night."

Esmeralda looked thoughtful for a moment, before smiling widely, "Oh to be a fly on the wall. Let's go get breakfast tomorrow, you can tell me all about it."

"Help me get set up and we'll call it a deal."

Elsa regretted not allowing Esmeralda to stay and assist for the night the moment she opened the door to the already intoxicated women, nearly all of them loudly 'woo'-ing as they stumbled into the studio. Elsa feigned a polite smile to those of them who had actually noticed her as they made their way inside, but her smile quickly faded when the last woman stopped short of passing through the door.

"A-Aurora?"

XXXXXXXX

 _This is the worst decision I've ever made_. Anna mentally berated herself, resisting the growing urge to throw her pen to the ground and simply leave her cubicle. How could she have thought that accepting additional clients might be a good idea? Her improvement hadn't gone unnoticed in the office, a small part of her wondered if Gothel had had something to do with her boss coming to congratulate her on her numbers – then promptly, and in the most sneaky way ever, drop more clients in her lap.

It wasn't a huge number of people, if she were honest with herself, but the additional time consumed by just a few more clients was eating in to not only how much time she had to speak with Elsa, but her ability to respond in an appropriate way. If Anna could see that her responses were shorter and, well, less happy, then surely Elsa was at the other end of the line wondering just what was going on.

Anna promised herself that tonight she would call Elsa and let her know that things were okay, let her know that work had been more hectic than usual and that there was not a thing to worry about between them. Then, the idea that Elsa might not be worried was also a possibility.

Anna suddenly felt rather childish as she considered the fact that Elsa had likely kissed more women than Anna would in her whole life, Elsa may have had so many encounters like theirs that this may not even phase her. The thought made it all the more difficult to focus on the final issues keeping her at her desk.

"Anna dear, are you still here? My goodness, just when I had gotten used to you leaving right on time with me."

Things could not possibly get any worse at this point, Anna reasoned, so the only way left to go would be up. She just had to carefully navigate this conversation with Gothel and she would be out of here in no time at all.

"Oh, miss Gothel." Anna feigned a cheerful smile, she wasn't about to let anyone, least of all Gothel, see that she was feeling the pressure from the new workload. "Yes, I'm just finishing up a few last minute things. I'll be out of here shortly."

"Darling, you aren't stretching yourself too thin are you?" Gothel hardly gave Anna a second to respond before shaking her head and exhaling dramatically, "We all know you already work so hard as it is, and to be given even more clients? What a shame. That boyfriend of yours must be missing you with all these extra hours you have had to work lately."

Anna couldn't prevent the small twitch of her lips, so she had to settle for praying that Gothel hadn't seen the momentary lapse in her otherwise perfect facade of happiness. All she had to do was finish this conversation peacefully and she could carry on with her night. The sooner this was done, the sooner she could get back to work. "I told you before Miss Gothel-"

"Please, _mother_."

"-I don't have a boyfriend."

Anna finished the sentence as politely as she could, not even bothering to acknowledge that she had been interrupted. At this point in her relationship with her co-worker she knew that it wouldn't do her any good even if she did mention it. No one who mentioned that Gothel had interrupted them had ever heard the end of it and Anna was not on board for inflaming their already tense relationship.

"Come now, mother understands. I just hope that your boyfriend does as well. We wouldn't want him thinking you're with another man here at the office, would you?"

Anna opened her mouth, her blood boiling as she seethed with anger. But Gothel had already turned and exited the cubicle with her signature jaunty wave. What right did Gothel have to come in here and act like she knew anything about Anna's life? That old biddy didn't know a thing, someone like Elsa wouldn't think that way...would she?

Elsa had been cheated on before, that much Anna knew. Perhaps there was some link to being cheated on and worrying about future partners, but surely Elsa already knew just how much she meant to Anna? And, having been cheated on, Elsa also wouldn't be very likely to turn into the kind of person who would blatantly step out on their partner, so Anna had nothing to worry about either, right?

 _You're not together though._ The dark little voice at the back of her now worrisome mind piped up, _She can do what she likes._

The troubling thoughts kept Anna behind far longer than she expected, by the time that she left her desk the sun had already set and she very guiltily opened her phone to see the message that Elsa had left her much earlier in the day. ' _Will be late tonight with a group, I miss you._ ' Anna groaned, shooting a glare back at the light streaming from beneath the door of her boss. As much as she hated staying late, she couldn't imagine working the long hours that would be required higher up the ladder.

"What does Gothel know anyway?" Anna asked herself aloud as she slammed her car door, her anger had ebbed but resentment toward the older woman had begun to grow in the void that the anger had left behind. "Not like anyone's ever loved her in her whole life."

Anna took a moment to consider if she really meant to words as she sat in the parking lot, after all she didn't know anything about Gothel or her life outside of work. Eventually Anna let her feelings about Gothel subside again, cranking her key in the ignition and driving slowly out of the parking lot. At least at this hour there weren't many cars on the road so her ride home would be peaceful, for that Anna was grateful.

Dinner for the evening, if one could call it that, would be just the same as breakfast – a bowl of cereal. Anna had hardly even taken time to think about what she would eat, the idea of expending a load of effort to cook some extravagant meal for herself alone was silly to say the least. But as Anna munched the sugary cereal she felt a pang of regret, if she had planned things out a little better she could have cooked something for Elsa tonight and returned the favor for her.

Anna unlocked her phone, spooning another bite of cereal into her mouth with one hand while finally typing out a reply to Elsa. No doubt she would be busy tonight, but a small flame of hope lit in Anna's heart as she began planning a visit to Elsa's studio. Slurping down the last of the milk in the bowl Anna raced to the shower, thoughts of what type of chocolates she should pick up and how long she should give Elsa before showing up at the studio swirling in her mind.

XXXXXXXX

Though her lengthy golden hair had been gently curled, giving it the softest of waves, the change was far from enough to disguise her appearance. Aurora stood just outside the door of Elsa's studio for what felt in her heart like the hundredth time and the first time all at once. Other than speaking Aurora's name Elsa seemed at a loss for words. Aurora herself seemed quite unfazed by their meeting, though she had had the advantage of knowing that Elsa would be here. Elsa had no warning, no time to prepare for her presence.

"Elsa."

At the sound of her voice Elsa's body tensed and her expression hardened immediately. The wheels in her mind turned around and around, trying to think of something to say. Should she cancel the night and refund the money? Hardly a good plan given that the canvas had already been drawn on and personalized for this event...she would have to tough it out or take the monetary loss. _It's going to be a long night_.

"I take it you know the bride." Elsa gritted her teeth as she reluctantly ushered her one time lover inside. Aurora only came far enough inside to allow the door to shut, but hung back rather than joining the rest of the women who were admiring Elsa's works.

"You look different, have you changed your hair?"

Something about the way Aurora was speaking and carrying herself made Elsa incredibly uncomfortable, what sort of sick game was she playing at? "It's the same as it has been for quite some time." Elsa's plan of attack was to keep responses as curt and minimal as she could, after all the less Aurora knew about her current life the better off they would all be for it.

"Well, you look good."

Aurora faltered for a moment before Elsa, almost as if she were going to try to reach out to her or something of the like. Thankfully she refrained and Elsa breathed a sigh of relief. Elsa watched Aurora's lips turn upward in a small, awkward smile before she made her way to the other women, ushering them away from the paintings on the wall and towards their seats. A small and unexpected kindness, given their history.

Elsa had always performed well under pressure, time crunches in particular were like fuel for the raging inferno that was her creativity, but this... How was she to teach an entire class of drunk bridesmaids and keep the future bride happy when Aurora was here? How could she begin to teach and joke and laugh when this reminder of a time of hurt and pain sat right in front of her? Sheer willpower, that would be her only savior this evening. Well, that and her incredible ability to maintain a calm exterior despite the turmoil of emotion being suppressed within.

"Ladies, how wonderful to see you all this evening. Now, where is the blushing bride hiding among us?"

The ladies all tittered at the question, as though they hadn't been hearing it at every bar and shop they had been to that evening, pointing out a beautiful brunette. Her hair was cut short and seemed a little messy, though the look was likely intentional given current fashion style. Dressed in what appeared to be a mock wedding dress, likely constructed during one of what Elsa could assume was many pre-wedding games, she looked quite the picture of innocence. Unbidden, fond thoughts had begun to invade Elsa's mind. She found herself wondering if she and Anna might someday be doing something similar...

"Then you must be Rapunzel, your lovely bridesmaids have got you set up for quite a fun night here! As you can see I've got you all prepared with some outlines and palettes with paint ready to go! Feel free to follow the guides I've drawn, or if you're feeling brave then step out of your comfort zone and paint right over them."

Elsa had hosted many a 'wine night' in the past, but having the women come in already drunk was an entirely different matter. As she poured glasses of champagne for them she watched, helpless, as they dripped paint here and there while gesturing at the paintings of those around them. This was the precise reason she had made 'children's night' a rare occasion event, suddenly she was reminded of how thankful she was for very plain, but very easy to clean floors.

Handing off the very first flute of champagne to the bride-to-be, Elsa was finally able to start taking a good look at the works that were being produced. "My, my Rapunzel! You've got some hidden talent here. What an eye for color!"

The bride-to-be flushed prettily and Elsa smiled genuinely for the first time that night. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Her focus just needed to be on what was important, on what she loved and not on the negativity that thoughts of the past brought with them. Whether Aurora was here or not Elsa would do her very best.

And she did. With that one seemingly simple realization Elsa was able to let the chip on her shoulder slide off and be herself. She floated between her customers with ease, answering questions and praising each of them for their unique talents. It was surprising, when she started viewing things a little more positively the drunken antics that had previously been irritating now seemed a little amusing instead.

The women, albeit messy, had been wonderful customers. Despite their level of intoxication they had all finished relatively quickly, Elsa happily mused that they would have plenty of time to socialize while waiting on their paintings to dry. Yet as she began the lengthy task of cleaning up, one of the bridesmaids threw a wrench into what Elsa thought was going to be a calm end to the evening.

"Last stop, Snuggly Duckling!"

"Snuggly Duckling, but isn't that..?"

Rapunzel looked confused, but her friends seemed quite insistent that they head out. Elsa hoped she wouldn't put a damper on things, but she had to speak up, "Ah, your paintings just need a while longer. Unless you would like to pick them up at a later time?"

"No, no! We need them for photos after the wedding tomorrow!"

Elsa opened her mouth, but had no words. She could offer to deliver them, sure, but that would cut into the time she had to spend with Anna, if Anna had spare time to spend with her that is. All of a sudden Elsa regretted putting her phone on silent rather than vibrate that night, she had no idea if Anna had even had time to respond to her yet.

"I'll stay behind."

The all too familiar voice grated on her ears as Elsa turned to look back at Aurora, the words dragging her out of her thoughts about Anna all too quickly. Aurora looked pretty confident in her suggestion, and the other women agreed far too quickly for Elsa to pose any kind of opposition. In a flash they had all bid their all too brief goodbye's and unwittingly left Aurora with an increasingly tense Elsa in the studio.

"Been a while since we were alone here, huh? It's weird."

"You're being awfully nonchalant about all this considering that I slapped you the last time I saw you."

Elsa had hissed the words under her breath, finding that the barriers she had thought were so easily put up against these feelings of negativity were more flimsy than she anticipated. She began to feel her skin prickle as the sheer discomfort of the situation. Being alone with Aurora in such a familiar place had already begun to take a heavy toll on Elsa, who very swiftly busied herself with cleaning up.

"I deserved it."

"E-excuse me?" Elsa's face contorted in what she was sure was quite an unattractive mix of anger and confusion ss she turned back to face Aurora, a few tubes of paint sliding from her arms with the force of her turn and clattering to the floor. "Did I hear you correctly?"

"You heard that right, I deserved it. I was being a massive pain that day. My therapist says it's because I wasn't processing my emotions about our breakup."

"I'm sorry, your fucking _therapist_?"

Elsa couldn't help the bite that the words held as they slipped from her tongue. The irony of the situation was just too much for her to handle. At some point after their breakup Aurora, who had very much been the instigator and cause of the end of their relationship, had gotten a therapist? Perhaps it was true, but the disbelief that Elsa felt was outweighing her logical side. Logically she knew she had no right to judge Aurora, but her emotions weren't ready to allow her access to that part of herself.

"Things didn't go so well after..." Aurora paused, almost as if she didn't have words for the things that she had done or said, "Well, things haven't been going well, to put it delicately. Mulan left me, too."

The look of remorse on Aurora's face was beginning to soften Elsa's hardening heart. As much as she did not wish for it, Elsa could almost feel the sympathy for Aurora building inside of her. After all Elsa had managed to recover and find someone who actually cared for her, all the while things had only continued to go poorly for Aurora. Not only that, she had lost the person that she had ruined a lengthy relationship to be with. It was likely not wise to feel any sympathy for Aurora, but the emotion hovered there beneath the surface of Elsa's icy facade.

"Sorry about Mulan."

Truly she shouldn't mean those words. She should be reveling in the knowledge that Aurora's cheating ways had caught up to her and yet... Elsa would be cursing her forgiving heart sooner rather than later, she knew, but she had known this pain herself. Granted, it had been Aurora's fault that she had felt the pain in the first place, but still.

"Listen, I'm glad I came tonight. I knew it was your place but I wasn't sure that, well, that things would be okay. It's given me a chance to tell you how sorry I am."

Elsa took a deep breath, rolling Aurora's words around in her mind. It was exactly what Elsa had wanted the last time they met, a sincere and genuine apology for all the agony that Aurora had caused. And yet in that instant it almost seemed too much. Elsa couldn't believe her own thoughts as they came to her, but perhaps Aurora did deserve forgiveness and sympathy.

"I won't say it's fine, but I forgive you."

The words were hastily spoken as Elsa carried supplies into the smaller room of her studio, dropping palettes off in the sink and beginning to run water. The liquid was scalding hot as it rushed from the faucet and into the sink, Elsa's pale skin was alight with color as she ran her fingers across the bristles of the brushes. The momentary reprieve from Aurora's barrage of emotional baggage was well appreciated, but all too brief.

"Thank you Elsa, I can't tell you what it means to me that you could...after everything." Aurora had followed and now stood in the doorway to the smaller room, though she did not pass the threshold. Instead she leaned on the door frame and stayed just outside.

Elsa shut off the water, looking over her shoulder and past Aurora as she thought she heard the door to her studio open and close. Aurora's lack of reaction to the sound made her wonder if perhaps she had heard things. Nevertheless she dried her hands on her apron and headed for the exit of the smaller room, hoping that Aurora wouldn't give her any issue as she tried to get out.

"Don't make anything more out of it than it is."

"Elsa, I never stopped caring about you. Things just got twisted around. There aren't any excuses now, but I still love you."

Very quickly this had become too much, was it all a clever ruse to get a rise out of Elsa? Elsa shuffled uncomfortably on the spot as Aurora continued.

"Els, I'm not saying right this minute, but I just want another chance. I'm a different person now, or I'm becoming one with each session. I'm not the same person who broke your heart."

"But you _are_."

Elsa had barely whispered the words, but their effect was clear. The tension in the room magnified tenfold. Silence had fallen between them, as it had so many times before. The feeling was truly eerie, having someone confess so openly and knowing in your heart that you couldn't reciprocate.

"Elsa..."

"Aurora, I can't. I don't love you anymore."

As quickly as she could manage Elsa squeezed herself past Aurora, who still stood in the doorway, and back out into the main portion of her studio. She hardly had a moment to truly process what was going on when her eyes caught a glimpse of her favorite shade of red.

Instantly her heart plummeted into her stomach, how long had Anna been there? Though she had done nothing wrong the guilt swelled in her chest. How much had she heard? It was likely that Anna had unwittingly been forced to listen to the former lovers squabble. Regardless of Elsa's sympathy for Aurora's situation, things had gotten more out of hand than she had expected them to and now on top of that Anna had most likely been party to Aurora's confession as well?

"Elsa, please. Just think about it, alright? I know in my heart that I lo-"

Aurora stopped her tirade the second that she realized they were no longer alone. Elsa was certain that the look on her face was all too telling about the nature of her relationship with this woman. Even if Anna hadn't been present though, what would there have been to say to Aurora? 'I love someone else?' 'You hurt me one too many times?' It all seemed like cheesy dialogue from a sub par romantic comedy to Elsa, who had never felt more ashamed than she did right in that moment.

"Anna? What are you doing here?" Elsa spoke the words tentatively, unable to prevent the slight waver in her voice.

It wasn't as if she had been doing anything wrong, but the very idea that Anna would have to suffer meeting her former flame was something Elsa didn't want to have to deal with. Elsa cursed herself, how could she have not canceled the night entirely and just taken her losses? _I should have known better._

XXXXXXXX

Anna's heart raced as she waited for the too-slow elevator that would bring her up to Elsa's studio. The parking lot had cleared out just as she got there, the women were clearly a little drunk and Anna had no doubt that they had come from Elsa's place. That would mean that upon her arrival Elsa would likely be alone and in need of help, in need of Anna.

Though she had no idea of what she might say when she arrived, Anna knew that she would feel a great weight lift off of her shoulders once she was able to speak with Elsa in person again. Anna hoped that Elsa would enjoy the chocolates that she picked up, though she couldn't help wondering if she had done a good job selecting them or if Elsa was used to finer things.

The ride up to the studio felt as though it took an eternity, but Anna knew that it was only because she was so anxious. When the elevator doors parted and the familiar door came into view Anna's heart nearly leaped into her throat. In the past she had always knocked, but given that a class had just ended it was likely that the door was still open. While the idea of walking right in made her uncomfortable, Anna had decided that she would give it a try. After all, there was a chance that Elsa might not hear a knock or might think it was a patron calling on her far too late into the evening.

At first glance the studio appeared to be empty, but as she closed the door Anna heard faint voices in the distance. _Elsa must still be working, I'll have to be quiet_ she told herself, shuffling past the kitchen and toward the middle of the studio where easels were still set up and a number of canvases sat drying in front of a fan. The sight brought back fond memories.

Anna knew that she would always look back on that first night in Elsa's studio as the night that she had truly begun falling. Elsa had been such a shameless flirt at first, touching and making suggestive comments...it had all been too much for Anna, who was still quite muddled and confused at the time. If the same thing were to happen now, Anna was sure that she would gladly welcome the interaction with open arms.

She had hardly had time to consider what exactly her reaction to something similar might be before Elsa burst from one of the rooms down the hallway. Anna's lips parted in an open mouthed smile as she saw Elsa, the shock on her face clearly said that she had been surprised by Anna's appearance. Even in painting clothes and wearing a messy apron Elsa was just as stunning as she always was. The little flyaway hairs that had come loose from behind her ears made her all the more adorable.

Anna was more than content to stare at Elsa, managing a small, bashful wave before her eyes were drawn over Elsa's shoulder and to another woman. Another very familiar woman who appeared to be attempting to convince Elsa to do something. Anna's smile faded slightly, but she merely refocused her gaze off of the now silent woman and back to Elsa.

"Anna? What are you doing here?"

There was a note of something strange in Elsa's voice, but Anna brushed the notion away and offered up the box of chocolates. Once her gift had been accepted, Anna thought it might be prudent to explain herself. "I thought I would help you clean things up. I remembered the mess after our class-"

"She'll be fine, I'm here helping her."

Raising an eyebrow Anna looked back toward the other woman. It took a moment of consideration before she realized just who she must have been looking at. The same woman from the diner that day that Elsa had had tears in her eyes, this had to be Elsa's ex.

"Aurora was just leaving." Elsa said insistently, Anna noticed that her fingers were worrying one corner of the box of chocolates.

Anna wasn't certain what this woman was doing here, or why she felt as though she could order Anna around, but Anna wasn't about to let this 'Aurora' stick around any longer than necessary. Stepping past Elsa with a cocky, lopsided grin, Anna positioned herself in front of Aurora.

"I'd be more than happy to help you take these things to your car if that's what you're waiting on?"

"Elsa and I were just having a discussion, if you could give us a minute to-"

"I don't think that you have a very good grasp on how this evening is going to play out. You can gather your things or I can gather them for you, but you'll be leaving either way."

It was strange how hard her voice had become, and at the same time it held a note of playful arrogance. Where all of this confidence had come from Anna couldn't say, but the feel of it coursing through her veins was intoxicating. Even as Aurora stared her down Anna didn't falter, eventually the other woman cleared her throat and began stacking the paintings on top of one another.

"Have a wonderful evening, if Elsa wants to speak with you she'll be in touch."

Elsa seemed to stand to the side, not saying anything as Anna, perhaps a little rudely, ushered Aurora out of the studio. Anna didn't even give Aurora a moment to respond before she slammed and locked the door. Anna turned and rested against the door, quite suddenly realizing the implications of what she had just done.

Had her actions been fueled by jealousy, or was she simply being protective because she had already seen Aurora bring Elsa to tears once before? The silence in the room was either a good sign or a terrible one, and while the truth behind it remained unknown Anna could feel the weight of it becoming oppressive. Finally, with a sheepish smile, she decided it was time to address what had just happened.

"Listen, if I was out of line I can go out and get her." Anna began, cautiously stepping toward Elsa.

"Anna, why would you do that?"

Elsa's voice was much quieter than Anna expected, and far more sad as well. Anna's expression fell in that moment. Had she made a mistake? Surely Elsa didn't want to keep that woman here when she had been brought to tears by their previous interaction?

"I'm going to sound like such a creep." Anna sighed, "I saw you crying in the diner after she started talking to you. At least, you looked like you were going to cry anyway. I just figured she might be the one who..."

Anna trailed off, unable to find any more of an excuse than that. Maybe that wasn't the answer Elsa was looking for but it was the only one she had. Truthfully she had no idea why she had so quickly and instinctively attempted to protect Elsa from any further confrontation with Aurora, but she could speculate.

"But that was before we met..." Elsa looked pensive, her brows furrowed in a way that could only make her all the more endearing to a nervously onlooking Anna. "Why would you remember that?"

Anna sharply exhaled in a short laugh and rolled her shoulders in a shrug, "Elsa, seeing you the night after Snow's...I didn't even know your name and I was already head over heels. I guess I just hadn't realized it yet, but seeing you with tears in your eyes like that? I wasn't about to let that her make you feel that way again."

"Oh Anna." In an instant Elsa had dropped the box of chocolates and taken Anna into her arms, Anna felt her face flush with heat at the sudden embrace. Even more so when Elsa began to whisper. "Thank you so much."

"My pleasure." Anna breathed, struggling to maintain composure despite Elsa's breath on her neck.

"Would it be wrong of me to tell you that I found your display of dominance more than a little attractive?"

Anna pulled away from Elsa, looking quite stunned at the admission but blushing all the same. "Elsa, we're not even officially, well, you know."

"Then let's make it official." Anna stiffened slightly as Elsa placed her arms loosely around Anna's neck in a lazy embrace. Elsa leaned forward to place her forehead against Anna's, smiling all the while."Would you like to be my girlfriend, Anna?"

Anna's heart was in her throat now, or if it wasn't she had suddenly developed some sort of growth over the course of just a few seconds. Her chest rose and fell in sync with the quickening breaths as she struggled for the words. Did Elsa really have to ask?

"More than anything."

 **a/n: Hey again guys! Seems like we had someone lose faith in me, but I hope the rest of you are happy with the impending fluff that you have all more than earned by sticking with me for so long! I worked hard to get this chapter ready and edited before my trip, so the _next_ chapter will be the delayed chapter instead. I'll be keeping notes on my phone while I'm gone so there's a small chance I could be able to get it to you guys on time, but plan for a delay. Thanks again for your continued support!**


	16. Dark of the Night

Chapter Sixteen: Dark of the Night

Two weeks. That was all the time that had transpired since things with Anna had been made official. Since that night at Elsa's studio the pair hadn't been out together, they had been kept apart by long hours at work but were never out of touch with one another. To say that Elsa had been surprised by Anna's most recent suggestion to have some time alone together was an understatement, she had been silent for nearly a whole minute on the phone when the word 'camping' had rolled so nonchalantly off of Anna's tongue.

It hadn't taken much convincing before Elsa consented, though she did feel bad when Anna had told her not to worry about anything except her own clothes and some drawing essentials. That had been a curious request, but Anna had been so insistent that Elsa didn't put up too much of a fight. It was refreshing to her in an strange sort of way that she could sit back and relax while her date planned everything out – previous dates with others had not allowed her such a luxury.

Sighing nervously, Elsa shut the door to her apartment and clicked the lock before shoving the single key into her pocket. The backpack she carried weighed heavily on her back, causing her to pause and shuffle her shoulders beneath the straps. Despite the weight she still wondered if perhaps she had left something else behind. Quelling her worry she decided that it would be more beneficial for her to head downstairs to be ready for Anna's arrival. Much to her surprise, Anna seemed to have gotten there much earlier than she said that she would and was rearranging things in the trunk of her car.

"My, my. You seem more prepared than I would have thought." A soft gasp escaped Elsa as Anna very narrowly avoided hitting her head on the open trunk of her own vehicle.

"Are you suggesting that you thought I would invite you out into the woods without being prepared?"

"I would never." Elsa teased, stepping closer and whispering so as not to be overheard by any passerbys, "Even if I did think you were unprepared, those khaki shorts and that flannel top tell me otherwise. This new look suites you well."

"You don't have to tease me about it!"

Laughing, Elsa helped Anna finalize the arrangement of their supplies and both women got into the car. The ride was shorter than Elsa anticipated but somehow she still felt as though they had to have driven hours and hours to get to the center of some deep wood. Trees were visible as far as the eye could see, no tall buildings or power lines anywhere in sight!

It had been quite some time since Elsa had felt so far away from busy city, she didn't even have to check her phone to know that there was definitely no signal out here. They would no doubt be on their own if they needed anything, but there was little doubt in Elsa's mind, despite her earlier jest, that Anna had come well prepared for the trip.

"You know-" Elsa grunted as she hammered at the too small head of a tent peg, driving it slowly into the hard earth below, "-if you were going for romantic here, I would have been just as pleased with a movie at your place and a makeshift fort made out of couch pillows."

"Trust me, you'll enjoy this a whole lot more. Besides, it's just one night!"

Elsa rolled her eyes as Anna winked at her. If nothing else their becoming 'official' had made Anna much more comfortable with displays of affection, at least when they were alone. Elsa complied and made no further argument, she owed Anna at least one night for all the trouble they had been through getting to this point.

Once the first tent was set up the pair unloaded their supplies. Water, wood for a fire, cookware, more food than the two of them could possibly eat in a single night – Anna had thought of everything it seemed. Looking around at what they had left to do, Elsa noticed that there was no additional tent. The implications could be huge if Elsa was deciphering the meaning behind it correctly. It took her a moment of internal debate before she cleared her throat and asked the inevitable question.

"So uh, just the one tent then?"

The question was meant to be a casual one, but Elsa worried that the true meaning behind her question was shining like a neon sign. Would they be sleeping together in the purest, most innocent sense of the word? Elsa knew with near complete certainty that nothing would be happening even if they slept in the same vicinity, but would Anna actually be comfortable with that? The little flush on Anna's cheeks was evident, but whether it was from the exertion of moving things around camp or from Elsa's question was hard for Elsa to determine.

"Well, I mean I only had the one. It's big enough that we can s-sleep in it together." Anna's face reddened further, confirming Elsa's suspicions, "But we don't have to. I can totally sleep in the car, in fact, let's just plan on me sleeping in the car, okay?"

"Anna." Elsa made a soothing gesture with her hands, "If you are content sleeping beside me then I'm fine with it." She hoped that the undertone in her statement was clear - she wouldn't be pressuring Anna for anything at all. If they were to 'sleep' together, then they would be doing just that. Sleeping.

Elsa thought perhaps she had heard Anna mumble something under her breath, but Anna had already begun to busy herself with other things so Elsa decided that she had either imagined it or simply heard some kind of natural sound instead. The little white lie had sated Anna for now. Internally, however, Elsa couldn't deny the idea that a woodland rendezvous between lovers was quite alluring.

With camp set up, Elsa and Anna were now left to their own devices with one another. It was an odd thing how much being so far away from everyone else could make one more nervous. Nothing about Anna was different, but here in the woods everything about her _felt_ different. It was likely their proximity paired with being utterly alone out here, but something about this experience had Elsa believing Anna's earlier words – she might just enjoy this night after all.

XXXXXXXX

Girlfriend? Partner? Anna had no idea what to call Elsa now that things had become more serious between them, but somehow she had opened her big mouth about camping and, no doubt because of Elsa's pleasant demeanor, they had ended up in the woods together. Alone. So utterly alone and so very far away from anyone who might be able to help ease any awkwardness that could arise.

Though outwardly Anna was bordering flirtatious, internally she was slowly becoming a wreck. The idea that she and Elsa would be alone together in a small tent, no doubt huddling together for warmth, in just a few short hours was...well, terrifying. Until now Elsa had been letting Anna set the pace and, honestly, Anna hadn't even really considered the implications of what bringing along one tent might mean until this morning when she was packing their supplies.

One tent, but two sleeping bags. Anna had made absolutely sure that there had been two bags packed. She didn't want to seem like she was trying to persuade Elsa into anything tonight. Not that she wasn't interested, at least, she thought she was. With as many times as her brain had played out little movie reels of the most heated scenes that it could conjure, Anna should have been sure that she was ready. And yet she couldn't confidently believe or say that she was. What if taking things that far only messed things up?

"Anna!"

The whisper was urgent and quite out of place, but Anna turned in response nonetheless. Her eyes widened as it came fully into her view – right at the edge of their camp was a massive deer. Anna was thankful in that moment that she had insisted Elsa bring her sketching supplies along. Kristoff had told her that they were likely to encounter some wildlife out here, but to have such a majestic beast approach so calmly was almost otherworldly.

Elsa was a strange source of calming energy, though Anna couldn't say that she was surprised by that fact. Watching those blue eyes dart from the stag back to the paper upon which she sketched was almost inspiring, in a strange sort of way. Anna was impressed at how long the thing stayed, seeming to munch on a few leaves here and there before continuing on as if it hadn't even considered the fact that the pair of women might be dangerous.

"He must be quite old, or very confident." Elsa whispered the words as she looked away from the now empty treeline and back to her paper, pencil still darting across the paper to capture the image in her mind before it disappeared.

"What makes you say that?"

"Did you see the way he looked at us? It wasn't even at us, it was almost like he looked right through us!"

Anna nodded, but in all honesty she hadn't seen it like that. The thing was so massive it was almost as if he was looming over them, warning them not to disrespect his home while they were in it. Clearly he wanted them to know he was there, at the very least.

"While you finish that up, I'll get dinner started."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am!"

But Anna was not sure. Not at all. Despite packing every fire-starting advantage that she could get her hands on, Anna struggled in vain to get anything started. Once she thought she saw a spark catching, curling the edges of some scraps of paper she had tossed in before disappearing in a wisp of smoke. While Anna had already planned for such an event and packed foods that didn't necessarily need to be heated, the firm grasp of shame held tight on her heart.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Anna turned quickly. If not for Elsa's quick stabilization of her, Anna may have fallen right over into the dirt. "Ah, it'll just be a bit longer."

"How about I give you a hand?"

And without any prompting Elsa got to her knees in the dirt, removing and rearranging the twigs that Anna had set up. With an unnerving level of skill Elsa struck a single match and pressed it gently to the already charred corner of paper that Anna had begun with. Anna opened her mouth to tell Elsa that it hadn't worked when she had tried it, only to close it again as the little flame jumped from the match to the paper, happily burning and spreading.

Anna watched in awed, and slightly jealous, silence as the little line of fire ate happily at the paper. Leaning forward on her hands, Elsa blew gently on the tiny flame. It curled and shrunk and began to catch the dry twigs that Elsa had set up.

"I guess it just likes you more..." Anna grumbled, crossing her arms as she got to her feet and took a step back.

"You got it started, I just encouraged it to keep spreading."

"I guess you've done this before then?"

Anna couldn't say she was surprised. After all, it would have been unreasonable to have expected to take Elsa out to a campsite for the first time at this point in her life. What was surprising was the level of ease with which Elsa had performed the task, while Anna had been a little clumsy and unfamiliar Elsa had no issue with getting a little fire going. Even now as the flames turned the twigs from brown, dead things to brightly glowing beams Elsa was still confidently feeding slightly larger twigs into it.

"You could say that."

An evasive answer if there ever were one. Anna felt a small twinge of frustration in her belly. "Could I?"

"Come now, I have to keep a little mystery between us or you'll lose interest in me."

Mystery was an understatement, Anna felt. Watching Elsa skillfully burn the fire down and prepare their food before miraculously stoking it back up again for their night fire was unlike anything she would have expected to be seeing. Elsa's moves were calm and calculated, the look on her face was just the same as when she painted. It was clear to Anna that Elsa was at ease here in this environment, and Anna hoped that one day she would know why. For now, though, she was all too happy to sit alongside Elsa as the fire crackled happily in front of them.

XXXXXXXX

All too soon the fire had dwindled again, begging to be put out of its misery. Yet even as Elsa watched Anna thoroughly extinguished the scorching remains of the wood, there was nothing that Elsa could do to quell the burn of uncertainty in her heart. With the fire out there was nothing left for them to do but prepare for bed and, eventually, head to their tent for the night.

Elsa couldn't place the emotion she was feeling. She was firmly stuck somewhere between nervous and excited. The word for the emotion eluded her. And it should have, for her mind was working hard at keeping her from doing anything awkward in front of Anna. This would not only be the first complete night they spent together, but it would also be the first night that they stayed in the same room together.

There was no pressure to 'do' anything at all, and yet there was every pressure to make this evening as perfect as she could. If things went poorly here, Anna might not ever want to spend another night with her again! Elsa worried, wondering if she would snore, or if she would somehow be displeasing to be next to in the night. Would she be too hot? Would she squirm too much? It was time to find out and Elsa wasn't nearly mentally prepared enough.

Anna and Elsa stood at the zippered entrance to the tent, both gesturing for the other to go in first. Eventually, and against her better judgement, Elsa gave in, shuffling toward her unzipped sleeping bag. The bottom of the tent had been padded from the inside once they had finished staking it into the ground and the difference was noticeable. At least they would be comfortable while they struggled with their emotions in this small, enclosed space.

All that could be heard was the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves and, occasionally, the sound of either herself or Anna breathing. It was awkward, to say the least, to be laying in a folded but unzipped sleeping bag next to her girlfriend in total silence and darkness. A soft rustling sounded, followed by the sound of a zipper. _Did she get too warm?_

The rustling sounds continued and Elsa wondered if she was imagining it or if Anna was coming closer. But her tongue was heavy and so she swallowed her words. If Anna wanted to be nearer to her without being too obvious about it then Elsa saying something to her might well ruin Anna's plans to come closer. So, she waited.

A shuffle here, followed by silence. Another shuffle, and more silence. The pattern continued until, after what seemed like an eternity, Elsa felt Anna's legs make contact with her own. Anna's breathing was clearly uneven, the wind seemed to have died down just enough for Elsa to clearly hear how nervous Anna must have been about this.

Elsa wanted to say something, to comfort Anna and ensure her that there was no requirement for them to do anything. But as she opened her mouth Anna's hand very tentatively, and a little clumsily, wrapped around her waist. Elsa resisted the urge to squirm as Anna's fingertips lazily traced circles along Elsa's spine.

It was a strange sensation, calming and yet arousing all at once. Elsa knew that she shouldn't be feeling that way, the chances that Anna meant all of this in a sexual way seemed minimal after all, but she couldn't help the all too familiar warmth as it pooled in her stomach. Quite suddenly her own breath was a little ragged, Anna was no longer the only one who was nervous about this whole interaction.

"Anna."

"Is this not okay?"

Anna's voice was so timid that Elsa almost laughed, "It's fine I just...I don't expect anything from you. Don't force yourself to touch me if you don't want to."

The response came in the form of a small pause of Anna's movements, followed quickly by a nudge on Elsa's own arm that pushed it in the direction of Anna. Elsa took the not so subtle hint and placed her hand on Anna's hip, making small circles just above it. Truthfully this was nothing sexual, neither woman was doing anything to truly arouse the other and yet _everything_ about their interaction was inherently sexual.

Neither woman was a saint, or at least Elsa knew that she certainly wasn't, but everything about this relationship with Anna felt fresh. Everything felt new and raw and all too real. It was both a wonderful and frightening thing.

If it wasn't so dark Elsa could probably see Anna's eyes and know for sure that they were darkened with desire, but in the absence of light Elsa could only imagine the way they looked. The way that she hoped they looked. Of course, she could have been entirely wrong, but it seemed as though the more of her hand she placed on Anna's hip the slower and more precise those little circles Anna was making on her back became.

Anna shifted a little closer in the darkness and now Elsa could feel Anna's breath on her collarbone. It was an ongoing struggle to maintain her composure with each hot exhale against her skin. Anna couldn't possibly have any idea what she was doing to Elsa. Yet it seemed almost as if she did. As Elsa's breathing grew more uneven, Anna's seemed to slow and become more calm. Maybe Anna was a little more devious than Elsa thought?

The feeling of Anna's lips on her collarbone confirmed that thought in Elsa's mind. Elsa's fingers clenched slightly on Anna's hip and in response Anna whimpered into Elsa's chest. The kiss wasn't alone, however. Anna placed a few more kisses up toward Elsa's neck, each very gentle and almost chaste, at least until the last one.

Elsa couldn't suppress the quiet gasp she gave in response to Anna's parted lips making contact with her neck. Anna had stopped making those little circles, her hand now supported her own weight as she leaned forward to suck ever so gently on the skin of Elsa's neck.

This shouldn't have felt as good as it did, Elsa reasoned. This wouldn't be the first time someone had done this, but perhaps because it was Anna all the feelings in Elsa's body were heightened. Elsa's hips twitched upward without her bidding them to do so, she had been so distracted by trying to get her fingers into Anna's hair that she hardly had time to think about suppressing her unconscious reactions to this new stimulation.

Anna's lips parted from Elsa's neck and the stars that Elsa had begun to see slowly dissipated. In the wake of this very sudden display of affection Anna seemed a little anxious about what she had just done. Of course Elsa couldn't see her expression, but the clouds obscuring the moon outside seemed to have parted enough for Anna's outline to become more clear. Anna sat up and seemed to put her hand over her own mouth, though Elsa couldn't be sure exactly what she was doing.

"I'm sorry."

The words were muffled, confirming that Anna most likely had covered her mouth after all. Elsa didn't sit up, she was still digesting what had just transpired and wondering how Anna must be feeling. "Don't be."

"It's just all new and I wanted to try..."

"Anna, I never thought I would have to tell a woman this but I am _more_ than happy to be your test subject. You can do what you like."

Anna seemed to consider the words before laying back down alongside Elsa, this time much closer than before. Elsa could feel Anna's body heat against her skin in the cold tent despite the space between them. Anna hesitated for only a few seconds before starting in with her 'experiments' a second time.

Her hot hand laid against Elsa's hip, gently stroking up and down along her side. Elsa exhaled shakily, trying to reason with herself that she shouldn't be so excited over such a simple touch – such a non-sexual touch! But Elsa's shaky breathing only seemed to embolden the previously timid Anna, who's hand paused at Elsa's stomach before moving up to very tentatively cup Elsa's breast.

There was no movement from Anna's hand once it settled, but Elsa shivered under the touch nonetheless. She worried that Anna would feel her nipple tensing up beneath her hand, but there was nothing to be done at this point. It was soon quite obvious that Anna had noticed, for her hand quickly withdrew and Elsa attempted in vain to exhale her frustration away.

Mentally she cursed her body's immediate and seemingly extreme reaction to Anna's touch. Sure, she wanted this. She had imagined this many a time when she was alone. But now, in this dark little tent, things were happening and her body was betraying just how much that she wanted this. Elsa could only pray that Anna didn't see her body's reaction as some sort of obligation to continue if she didn't want to.

XXXXXXXX

 _What the fuck am I doing?_ It was as if Anna couldn't help herself, something about being so close to Elsa and so completely alone with her was overriding every single decision that Anna had already made about how this night would go. They would go to sleep in separate sleeping bags, she had told herself, and would kiss at the very most. But here Anna was initiating something that she wasn't entirely sure she was ready for, simply because she had the urge to do so.

Anna was doing the very things that had happened in the beginning of her dreams, her movements were clumsy in the darkness but the little sounds that Elsa was making made it very clear that her efforts were far from fruitless. Her own heart pounded away in her chest, rhythmic and wild all at once. Anna was thrilled by the fact that she had taken the initiative and yet fearful of how Elsa might feel if all of this came to a grinding halt.

But Elsa confirmed all through their interactions that she was happy, content with the way that things were playing out. As Anna cupped Elsa's breast the peak of Elsa's stiff nipple was very evident. She was thankful for the dark, simply feeling the reaction that she was causing had brought a hot flush to her cheeks.

Anna withdrew her hand all too quickly and the sound that Elsa made said all that needed to be said, she was frustrating Elsa in the most pleasant way. Her heart did a little flip in her chest, the feeling of knowing that _she_ was making Elsa feel these things was both wonderful and a little frightening. In a way Anna's desire to carry on this way made her feel quite greedy, knowing that Elsa was happy to take what she could get while Anna did as she pleased with no consequences.

"Are you okay, Anna?"

Anna exhaled audibly, a small sigh of disbelief and amusement at her own predicament. She had a gorgeous woman right in front of her and she couldn't even make out the expression on her face in the darkness. Anna had _Elsa_ practically beneath her, sighing in delight. "Are you?"

"I've never been better."

The sound of Elsa's voice made Anna bite her lip, was it her imagination or had Elsa's words been a little slurred? Anna wanted to think the little slip was from her actions riling Elsa up, but Elsa could also be tired...

"Should I, I mean, can I continue or?"

Her answer came in the form of Elsa fumbling around in the dark in search of Anna's hand. When Elsa found it, Anna was tugged forward and her hand made contact with Elsa's chest again. A surge of heat ran through Anna's body, that was certainly a clear and concise yes from Elsa.

Anna applied the gentlest of pressures at first, growing bolder with each second that she fondled Elsa in the darkness. It worked to her advantage, knowing that Elsa couldn't see the surely silly looks on Anna's face made her all the more confident in her experimenting. Anna's thumb brushed over the fabric covering Elsa's nipple and Elsa noticeably shuddered, muffling the sound of her passionate sigh into her pillow.

In that moment Anna found herself shamelessly wondering how often Elsa would relieve herself, so to speak. It seemed so easy to elicit a moan or a sigh that Anna couldn't help but wonder how long she had gone without. She felt another small pang of guilt at the thought that Elsa would go without again tonight. Overwhelming that feeling, however, was a strong desire to hear all the sounds Elsa would make with each touch.

Anna's hand drew down to the hem of Elsa's shirt, hesitating. It was Elsa who broke the stillness by shuffling and removing her shirt. Though Anna couldn't see Elsa's body in the darkness she felt a rush of heat shoot through her own body. Elsa had voluntarily removed her shirt to allow a greedily probing Anna more access to her body. _What have I done to deserve her?_

Fingers trailed up Elsa's stomach slowly, causing her to squirm beneath Anna's touch. Anna wondered at first if the touches perhaps tickled, but the feeling of Elsa's hand nearby, clenching the sleeping bag beneath them tightly, told Anna all that she needed to know about how Elsa was feeling. Anna scooted herself closer, careful to move Elsa's hand so as not to inadvertently hurt her.

Anna's movements grew more confident, at least until she approached the band of Elsa's pants. Again she hesitated, but not nearly for long enough to allow Elsa a reaction. Anna's fingers traced the hem first, before dragging down Elsa's thigh, still very much on top of Elsa's clothing. She could hear Elsa's nails scraping on the fabric of either the pillow or the sleeping bag, though which of the two it was she wasn't sure. What she did know, however, was that Elsa's lower half was significantly warmer than her upper half.

This felt different to Anna, though. Fondling above the waist was one thing, but below...that seemed almost as if it were uncharted territory. And truthfully it was! Anna had touched herself plenty of times, she was no stranger to what needed to be done and yet here Elsa was before her and Anna felt as though she knew nothing.

Elsa's breath hitched as Anna made small circles on her thigh, the sound made Anna feel quiet poweful in spite of her own doubts. Just a little movement and Anna could easily be between Elsa's legs, drawing out all sorts of sounds...the idea was quite tempting, but it didn't eliminate the nervousness that nagged at Anna's mind.

She wondered if she was panting, it felt as though she was breathing quite hard while trying to decide what to do next. Would Elsa head the sound of her breath and find it off putting? Anna worried, but her she was recklessly ignoring her concerns in favor of hearing more of these sounds from Elsa. Anna placed her fingers at the center of the hem of Elsa's pants and drew them straight down between Elsa's legs.

To her surprise Elsa's hips bucked upward and her legs easily fell apart to allow Anna all the more access. As if by instinct Anna applied gentle pressure at first, leaning over Elsa as she did so. The sound of Elsa's uneven breaths and her little whimpers was almost too much. Anna's fingers never stopped, though, teasing Elsa over her clothing until one little brush seemed too much for Elsa.

"Anna..."

The sound of Elsa's moan was too much, Anna clumsily leaned forward, desperate to kiss Elsa. Though their first kiss had been a little more heated than she anticipated, this kiss far outshone that one. Finally it seemed that Elsa had lost her control and had brought a hand up to the back of Anna's head, holding her down to make sure that the rough kiss continued. Anna had no objections.

Her lips felt as though they were on fire, Elsa's teeth grazing them occassionally as Anna continued her over-the-clothes teasing of her poor test subject. Elsa's kisses seemed desperate and pleading to Anna, who was still debating her concern about how far they might take things tonight. The way that Elsa was whispering Anna's name between kisses, the heat between Elsa's legs, the way her hips rocked against Anna's hand - the whole experience was utterly intoxicating.

But as Elsa continued to rhythmically grind against Anna's hand, Anna was once again enveloped with guilt. It was clear that Elsa was desperate for some kind of release and this just seemed...well, it seemed like this shouldn't be how Elsa's first _time_ with Anna should be. For a moment she fought with herself, wondering if she could possibly handle the ramifications of continuing.

The idea was one that she had thought about more times than she cared to admit. In her mind she had already felt the slickness between Elsa's legs, even been so bold as to taste of it. But here in the real world she was far more timid and genuinely afraid of failing Elsa, losing her by performing poorly. Anna's hand had slowed now and eventually she felt Elsa's fingers on her wrist, stopping Anna's movements abruptly.

"Anna, are you okay?"

"I..."

Anna faltered, was she okay? Physically she was very clearly aroused, her body was hot and her breath was short. But mentally she was confused and more than a little frightened. Elsa hadn't done anything wrong, yet Anna had begun to feel the weight of guilt increasing by the second. She had overstepped the line that she herself had drawn and now Elsa was left no doubt feeling just as lost and turned on as Anna.

"Elsa, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even started-"

Anna stopped as Elsa's arms wrapped around her tightly, pulling her into a hug as best as she could in the darkness. Anna found herself out of control of her emotions. Somehow, she wasn't even quite sure of when, she had started crying. Not sobbing, mind you, but the tears had welled up in her eyes without her knowledge and had begun to fall with no warning.

But what cause did she have for tears? Nothing was wrong, she was ecstatic to be here with Elsa. This was quite literally a dream come true. There was absolutely no reason for there to be any tears, but there they were. Like intrusive neighbors they soiled an intimate moment by coming unannounced and unwelcomed. And once they had begun, Anna found herself struggling to banish them.

Elsa was holding her close, though. Anna had all but gone limp in her comforting hold. Being there in Elsa's arms seemed to be all that mattered now. Anna's eyes slipped shut to the sound of Elsa whispering that everything was okay, that Anna would be okay, that she wouldn't ever let anything go this far again until Anna was actually ready.

Elsa was even apologizing! She was whispering quiet words of regret that she hadn't realized, that she was sorry for not stopping Anna sooner. Anna couldn't muster the words though, she couldn't tell Elsa that there was no reason to be sorry. From the moment she had let her eyes close, sleep had begun to soothe her into a comforting state of unconsciousness.

XXXXXXXX

The next morning was awkward, to say the very least. Anna awoke long after the sun had risen to find Elsa's sleeping bag not only empty, but already rolled and set in the corner as if ready to be packed up. They had only had one night, and as the memories rolled back into Anna's mind it became quite clear that she had royally fucked it up.

Anna groaned, hitting her fist on the padded floor of the tent before forcing herself out of her own sleeping bag and toward the exit of the tent. She unzipped the tent and to her great surprise Elsa was hovering over a cooking fire, happily humming to herself as she cooked their breakfast. Was she only happy because Anna hadn't woken up yet or had she already put the night before aside?

Timidly Anna exited the tent, zipping it closed behind herself, and approached Elsa. She had no words, she wasn't sure of how she could even begin the conversation that needed to be had. Anna had not only initiated something truly sexual with Elsa and left her high and dry, but she had also started crying for no reason at all! Surely that would have been the strangest experience Elsa had ever had or would ever have.

"Oh, you're up. Breakfast is almost done."

Even Elsa's tone was pleasant, it made Anna's stomach turn just thinking about what would happen between them now. Elsa would no doubt be pleasant until they got home, then she would completely disappear on Anna.

"I see you found everything. Thanks."

"You did a great job packing, though next time a little less food for one night."

Elsa laughed and Anna remained confused and doubtful about whether or not the jovial attitude Elsa had was genuine or not. She thought about asking what Elsa had meant by 'next time' but decided against it as Elsa turned to her with a smile and a plate full of food. They ate in relative silence, until Anna could no longer stand the uncertainty.

"Why are you acting like nothing happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"Last night I, we-" Anna paused to consider her next words carefully, they could be the difference between maintaining the status quo and completely ruining things, " _I_ did some things that weren't exactly..."

"Anna, I didn't want to jarr you with something like that so early. Of course we can talk about it."

"You're just being so nice, but I left you _like that_ last night. I shouldn't have done anything at all, I knew I wasn't going to actually...I'm just sorry, okay? I get it if you don't want to see me again."

"Why _wouldn't_ I want to see you again, Anna? What happened last night wasn't bad, you just got a little ahead of yourself. No big deal."

"So you're not mad?"

"Of course not."

"But I got you all ready to go and just stopped. You apologized even though you didn't do anything wrong."

"Anna, we mutually stopped things. I felt one tear hit my chest and I knew that we couldn't keep going. I should have been more vigilant, you and I both knew you weren't ready for that but I still..." Elsa hesitated, guilt clear on her face, "I should have stopped you sooner. I never should have taken any clothing off or kissed you so hard or-"

"It wasn't your fault! I started it, I could have stopped it sooner. Are we still okay?"

"We're definitely still okay."

And with that, breakfast continued in relative peace and quiet. No interruptions from animals or phone calls, no uncertainty about where they were or what was happening. A simple discussion and it seemed as though Anna's concerns and worries had once more been wiped away. She still wasn't sure what it was about Elsa that was so calming, but Anna couldn't have been more grateful that Elsa had been so much more understanding than she could have ever expected anyone to be.

 **a/n: Thank you all for being so very patient with me, things have been a whirlwind since leaving for the trip. The return trip ended up being a race away from a hurricane, we certainly hadn't planned on that. I can't believe this story has gotten one hundred followers, I'm absolutely floored. It's hard to believe and something I never expected to achieve. As this story nears completion I am focusing hard on plot for one particular story that I hope you all will enjoy. I hope to have the first chapter of that one published within the next few months, it may go up the day this one is completed. Thank you all again, regular updates will resume starting today! See you all in two weeks!**


	17. Collide

Chapter Seventeen: Collide

Anna sat four seats to the left of her boss at the oval-esque table, only half-listening to the stout man with the largest, most bushy eyebrows she had ever seen clamor on about their numbers and how well they had performed this quarter. It had been an entire week since she had bid goodbye to Elsa at her apartment, their only contact since then had been the continued phone conversations. It was frustrating, to say the very least, to be confined to such limited windows of communication. _This would be so much easier if we lived toge-_

The thought stopped abruptly. How could Anna _possibly_ be considering living with Elsa? They had hardly dated at all, just a few little unofficial outings and of course Anna's somehow simultaneously disastrous and successful camping trip, but here Anna sat considering sharing a living space with Elsa. It was ludicrous that her mind would travel here so quickly, but her selfish desire to see Elsa more often than once or twice a week was keen on outweighing her logic.

"-and Anna has been showing continued excellence with an added client load, so in the near future you will each find yourselves with a little more to handle than you previously had. I expect the same performance from each of you, and you all are well aware of how I feel about failure. If Anna can do it then any of you can!"

What a way to be dragged out of a strange little train of thought. Though everyone in the room made sounds of agreement after Mr. Big's announcement, Anna could practically feel the daggers that were being glared at her. Had she known that her performance would determine the workload for not only herself but the rest of her co-workers as well, she may have toned it down a little. Anna managed a meek smile in the face of the clear displeasure of her coworkers before turning her eyes back to Mr. Big, who was now pointing away with a laser pointer at a graph of their numbers.

Anna managed to reign in her mind for the remainder of the meeting, though when it finally began to draw to a close she began to worry about the possible confrontations that could loom in the near future. Never before had she been so certain that her co-workers would soon be giving her a piece of their minds. Surely enough, as she approached her desk a small crowd of people had already gathered. Anna swallowed hard, mentally reminding herself how well the job paid and how kind she needed to be to these people to keep it.

"Anna, who is it?"

A short newcomer who Anna hadn't spent much time around immediately accosted her, violet eyes shining with some emotion that was far more positive than Anna had expected. The young woman was practically rocking on the balls of her feet with excitement. Anna raised a brow in response, "Who is...who?"

"My goodness Judy, have you no tact?" Proclaimed Gothel, who had practically materialize behind Judy. "Anna hasn't even had the opportunity to see her desk yet. Be patient my dear!"

Anna nearly jumped when Gothel showed up, but thought it best not to mention how creepy it was that the woman could seemingly appear out of nowhere.

"Well, tell us what all the fuss is about Annie."

Behind the two women stood one of the supervisors for another section, leaning against one of the cubicle walls as a teen might lean against a building, shoulder pressed into it as his feet were set out at an angle to support his weight.

"You know I hate when you call me Annie, _Nicholas_."

The man visibly recoiled and straightened up to stand beside Judy and Gothel, but waved a hand toward Anna's cubicle in lieu of a response. Anna tentatively stepped forward, still certain that this was some sort of trick to lure her into an enclosed space so that she couldn't escape her imminent telling off.

It didn't take any time at all for Anna to notice the intricate arrangement of chocolate roses on her desk, her eyes widened as they settled on the incredibly designed treats. Anna's heart pounded in her chest as she stepped further in to her cubicle, her hand hesitating before pulling the card that was comfortably nestled between a few of the curls on the large bow attached to the vase that the faux roses occupied.

"All my love, E." Gothel read aloud over her shoulder, making Anna tense uncomfortably as she realized just how close the older woman was standing. How could someone so old be so eerily quiet? "E, hm? Seems to me that someone who would be willing to send such a lavish gift would at least be kind enough to include their whole name. How will your boyfriend feel about this little gift?"

Heat crept upward from Anna's neck and into her cheeks, unable to be suppressed as realization washed over her. _Elsa_. Elsa had sent this incredibly romantic gift to her place of work. Anna wondered if she had ever mentioned where she worked, but shook the thought realizing that she had a little damage control to do at the moment.

"I don't have a boyfriend." Anna asserted carefully, hopeful they wouldn't notice her half truth. After all, Anna didn't know whether this environment was a safe one to come out in or not. She certainly didn't want to test the waters with any of those standing around her, at least not today.

"Someone must care about you an _awful_ lot to send you something like that, I've priced those things and they're not cheap." Nick said, casually pretending to inspect his nails instead of looking directly at Anna.

"It's so romantic!" swooned Daisy, who had popped her head over the wall that connected to the cubicle adjacent to Anna's and inserted herself into the conversation.

"Honestly guys, it's nothing. Really."

"Nonsense dear! It's certainly something quite interesting. Come now, let's leave Anna to her work."

Never before had Anna been thankful for Gothel, but in that moment as she watched the crone shoo away the others she felt genuinely lucky that Gothel was there. Anna's heart raced in her chest as she struggled to calm the blush on her cheeks. She had no clue what could have driven Elsa to do something like this, but it was more than enough for her mind to begin scheming ways to get out of work and back to Elsa. Anna slid into her chair and, once the intrusive crowd had completely withdrawn, her lips tugged upward in a brilliant smile. As the anxiety ebbed, her chest filled with warmth.

The longer she admired the little note attached to the delicate arrangement, the more certain she was that she was had already fallen harder for Elsa than she had ever expected to. Longingly her fingers ran over the typed print as she sighed in contentment, not at all caring that she most certainly looked like a doe-eyed youth.

Though Anna knew she had some training to get through before she could leave, her mind refused to let her push back the feelings that were overtaking her as she sat at her desk. She was overwhelmed by the sincerity of the gift, and guilty over how much it likely cost, but mostly she felt loved. Elsa genuinely cared for her, and something about that fact distracted Anna far more than it should have.

Beneath her desk Anna covertly typed a message to Elsa, praying that she would be free. ' _7:30 tomorrow evening, my place?'_

Hardly a moment passed before she received her response, _'I look forward to it.'_

XXXXXXXX

Elsa gripped her steering wheel nervously as she arrived for the second time at number twenty three Springfield Avenue. Though she had already been here once before, her stomach still tightened at the idea of actually leaving her vehicle to go inside. Much like her first arrival, Elsa opted to stay in the car for a moment longer, her hand absentmindedly resting on the wrapped canvas in the passenger seat. Would the gesture be too much in light of her rather sneakily sent gift? Surely not...

It wasn't long before Elsa willed herself out of her car and up to the door. The sound of the doorbell was met with a wall of silence, prompting Elsa to check her watch. She was early, but only slightly. It was curious that Anna didn't answer right away but not entirely unheard of given that she was early. Elsa rocked back and forth on her heels, shuffling her carefully wrapped canvas from one hand to the other as she waited patiently. But as the time dragged on, Elsa began to lose hope.

Just as she was readying herself to head back to her car to wait, the door swung open. "Kristoff?"

"Elsa."

Kristoff made a sweeping gesture with his hand, inviting the confounded Elsa inside. He looked her up and down with something Elsa couldn't quite place in his eyes, was that malice or simply irritation? His eyes noticeably paused on the canvas in her hand, but he made no mention of it, nor did he make any effort to continue their conversation.

Elsa awkwardly cleared her throat, "So, I certainly wasn't expecting to see you here." She would have to tread carefully if she wanted to get rid of the lingering awkwardness between them.

"You're early. Anna called me, something about her headboard being loose. Got it all sorted out though."

"It's a good thing she has such a kind, caring brother to help her out then!"

Though Elsa had smiled as she said the words, mentally she was breathing a sigh of relief. For a moment she had assumed that something more serious was happening and that her night with Anna would be cut short. Not that she would have been upset in the event of an emergency, but she was looking forward to spending more quality time with her girlfriend and an interruption wouldn't have been the most ideal way to do that.

"Why didn't she call you? Are you not good around the house?" Kristoff had relocated himself and now seemed quite interested in some photos that were hanging on the walls.

"I'm certainly no expert, but I know my way around."

"Good. My si- uh, the house might need a bit of help, er, _work_ from time to time, so I'm glad Anna's seeing someone who knows more than she does."

Elsa didn't need those few little slip ups to get a grasp on the true meaning behind this strangely covert conversation – Kristoff had no interest in knowing the level of Elsa's house mending skills, this was an older brother confronting the new suitor of his younger sister. To be honest Elsa had somewhat expected this type of talk eventually, but this was certainly a less direct path than she might have imagined their conversation taking. Elsa's expression softened as she watched the back of Kristoff's head tilt this way and that as he checked to be sure the frames were all aligned properly.

"You know-" he began again, voice hesitant as he poked gently at the corner of a frame holding a photo of younger versions of Anna and himself, "-some people might have things to say about this house. Might call it unconventional and snub their noses at Anna for living here...or, or worse. Hans and I have had some things said, things done, to our place. It's not pleasant, do you think that you can handle that?"

Elsa stiffened a little, her heartbeat increasing as she took a moment to let what Kristoff said sink in. Not only was he having the 'big brother' talk with her, he was also addressing the very real issue of the nature of their relationship. Elsa had been out for quite a while, she had a thick skin when it came to insults. But Anna...she was still new to this, and might easily be hurt by the toxic words and opinions of other people.

"Kristoff-" It was Elsa's turn to hesitate, wondering how wise it would be to drop the facade and speak frankly. In the end she decided not to. "-this is a beautiful home. And while it's still new and hasn't weathered many storms, I'm confident that Anna and I can handle anything that happens here. Together. I'll be right here for her through whatever comes for us..."

A big brother talk _and_ a gay talk all rolled up in to one, thinly, and poorly, disguised conversation about the house and any work that it might need. This aspect was certainly not something Elsa had expected, nor had she entirely adjusted to this strange method of communication. Nonetheless, the words seemed to strike home and Kristoff turned to face her again at last. There was another awkward moment before he extended his hand, which Elsa gladly shook.

"Kristoff, how many times do I have to tell you that you can't take bets on how long it'll take me to get ready?

Kristoff had been forgotten the moment Anna's voice sounded from the hallway at the edge of the living room. Elsa's eyes found Anna's instantly and her heart nearly leaped into her throat. Anna's hair was loose this evening, trailing over her shoulders like floes of lava, bright, and warm, and utterly wonderful. Her freckled cheeks were tinted pink, though with makeup or a true blush Elsa wasn't sure just yet. Anna wore a black tank top with a cartoon character emblazoned on the breast and blue jean shorts, and even though she looked irritated with her brother she was so very beautiful to Elsa.

"We would never!" Kristoff exclaimed, bringing Elsa back down to Earth. He leaned toward Elsa and, in an exaggerated whisper, added, "You win, I'll bring you your prize next time!"

He hardly allowed Anna a moment to look exasperated before he was waving his goodbyes, taking his leave and locking the door behind him.

"You look incredible." Elsa breathed, finding that without Kristoff in the room it was much more difficult to not feel like she was fawning over Anna.

"What's that?" Anna asked, curiously pointing to the all but forgotten package in Elsa's hand.

"Oh! For you."

" _Elsa_. You can't keep spoiling me like this."

Even when she whined Elsa's name, the sound was music to Elsa's ears. "Spoiling you?"

"You sent the chocolates and now this? I feel like I'm a bad girlfriend!"

Feeling a little mischievous, Elsa decided that she would feign stupidity on the subject, "Chocolates?"

"Yeah, the ones you sent to my work..."

"Anna, I haven't sent anything to your work. I don't think you've ever mentioned where you work, either."

Anna's face fell, she looked as though she had told Elsa a terrible secret. "Elsa, then I don't know who would have. I swear I don't have any idea why anyone would-"

Elsa had to admit that Anna looked quite adorable struggling for an excuse, but the little game would have to end soon for Elsa couldn't keep up the ruse any longer. The few laughs that erupted from her lips were all that it took to cause Anna to playfully swat at her arm. " _Elsa!_ Did you send them or not?"

"Yes, yes! I did. I'm sorry Anna, I just had to see your face."

"How did you know where to send them?"

"You do realize that you have all of your work information listed on your Facebook, right? Here, you can open this now if you want to."

XXXXXXXX

Anna huffed, highly displeased with having been so easily fooled by Elsa's small bit of trickery. Still, curiosity got the better of her as she carefully started to unwrap the gift. It was quickly clear that this was a canvas, had Elsa given her one of her pieces of art as a gift?

As Anna flipped the canvas over, however, she audibly gasped. The canvas almost seemed alive in her hands, brilliant greens highlighting the darker limbs of trees in the background, a blue sky just beginning to show the light of the setting sun, and right in the center was a very familiar face. Boldly standing against the treeline was their stag, just as large and in charge as he had been in the wild. If Anna didn't know better she could have sworn that he was breathing on the canvas, the details of his fur and eyes were almost too realistic for her.

"Elsa, when did you have time to do this?"

Elsa simply shrugged, a sly smile on her face. "Oh you know, here and there."

"Here and there?" Anna scoffed, "This has to have taken ages, I can't possibly-"

"It's a thank you."

"A 'thank you'?" Anna repeated, feeling more confused by the moment.

"Yes, for taking me out into the woods. It's been a long time, but I enjoyed it."

There were no words that felt right, so Anna turned and placed the painting on her coffee table before wrapping her arms around Elsa. "This is all too much. I don't deserve all of this."

"After all we've been through to get here, I almost feel that it's not enough." Elsa whispered, hugging Anna tightly.

Anna's reaction to the words had been more than even she herself could have anticipated. She raised her head and more than a little gently pressed her lips to Elsa's exposed skin, making her way up Elsa's neck as far as she could reach without getting on her tip toes.

"Anna."

The sound of her name crossing Elsa's lips only spurred Anna on, her hands roaming to Elsa's hips as she rocked forward on her tip toes to press kisses into Elsa's cheeks, approaching dangerously close to her lips.

"Don't force yourself to move too quickly..."

Elsa's words were hesitant, it was clear that she didn't really want to have to vocalize them and yet she still had. Anna paused her movements only for a second before continuing as though Elsa had said nothing. After all, Anna was certain about this much, she wanted to kiss Elsa. To lavish her with gentle kisses and maybe something more...

"You shower me with gifts and then tell me not to move too quickly?" Anna murmured against Elsa's skin, "After all of that I don't think this is too fast."

"Anna." The sound of Elsa's voice was serious, and all at once Anna felt herself being pushed back from Elsa with a small degree of force, "Don't feel obligated to do anything because I spent a little money or time on you, that's not how this works. It isn't an exchange of goods and services for, well, sexual favors."

"It's not like that. I wouldn't do that, not ever."

"I want you, Anna. I want all of you in every sense of those words but I would never, _never_ , expect anything out of you just because I got you some silly roses or painted something for you. Please don't be upset with me for stopping you, I just didn't want you to do something you might regret."

"Elsa, I couldn't ever regret anything that I would do with you."

The memory of their night in the tent loomed heavily in the air, Anna was thinking hard on it and she judged by Elsa's expression that she was thinking about it as well. She couldn't blame Elsa, after all that had been perhaps their most confusing night together thus far. But despite her unwelcome tears, Anna, too, had been left equally frustrated.

She had wanted it all, to touch parts of Elsa that she had only imagined and hear her name moaned from the lips of her girlfriend. Yet those damn tears had come unbidden, as if the universe was telling her that then wasn't the right time for all of that, but now... Now seemed like a perfect time. Elsa was here and as beautiful as she always was, they were in her own home and comfortable, not to mention safe.

This time was entirely different, or it felt that way. Any uncertainty that had been looming during their last encounter was gone, Anna genuinely felt the love that Elsa had for her. This feeling was what would push her into action.

Her first move was to gently grasp Elsa's hand in her own, tugging Elsa toward herself. Anna got on tip toe to wrap her arms around Elsa's neck, smiling as innocently as she could manage to given the thoughts that were racing through her mind. Elsa seemed to be on to her little scheme, however, for she regarded Anna with caution before returning Anna's embrace.

There was no need for either of them to specify what was to happen next, both women seemed to instinctively know what their future held. Anna smiled as they both moved in for a kiss at the same time. She thought she could feel Elsa smiling too as their lips met in a gentle, almost chaste kiss. But with the volume of pent up emotion that both of them quietly bore, the chasteness of their embrace was quickly lost.

Anna regretted wrapping her arms over Elsa's shoulders the moment that Elsa's hands began to wander, she cursed herself for not foreseeing this situation and her utter lack of ability to explore Elsa's body. She groaned in frustration as Elsa's hands ran up the sides of her body, Anna couldn't suppress the shiver that rushed down her spine. As she whined into Elsa's mouth, she knew that Elsa was smiling under the kisses. The notion was enough to cause Anna to wriggle on the spot, slipping her arms from around Elsa's neck so that she, too, could let her hands roam.

It was abundantly clear that this time Anna had no qualms about her actions, no hold backs or worries. She brazenly brushed over Elsa's top, grasping at her breast with one hand while the other hand grasped Elsa's wrist to prevent her from distracting Anna. It seemed an eternity since they had begun to kiss, parting for just a second here and there only to begin again with renewed fervor. Anna panted as she broke away, her hand growing bolder as she trailed her fingers toward Elsa's waist.

"My room?" Anna hadn't seen Elsa look quite as shocked as she did in that moment, and it gave her cause for alarm. "Or, or not. If that's not okay. I mean, wherever is fine."

"No, no!" Elsa smiled, making little exhales of amusement, "That's just not normally how this goes."

"Well, how does it normally go?" Anna punctuated every other word with a kiss on Elsa's neck and cheeks.

"Let's just say I'm usually the one asking people back to my room."

Anna could tell that her behavior was getting to Elsa, who no doubt was used to being in control. She wondered if Elsa knew how quick her pulse had gotten, how loud her panting was as she tried to restrain herself under Anna's unrelenting attack. "Well then," Anna ceased her kisses and shifted so that she was no longer pressed against Elsa, "maybe you should try to charm me into bed?"

Elsa's response was a series of chuckles, followed by a shake of her head. "Do you really want that? You were doing quite a good job of convincing me to go with you."

The suggestion was almost laughable, Anna knew that she had already been easily put under Elsa's spell a few times before and had no resistance to her whatsoever. Elsa obviously knew what she was doing, but Anna felt a little clueless. After all, it was difficult to loom sensually over someone when you were a good few inches shorter than your target. It was certainly even more difficult to be confident about her actions knowing that she really had no idea what she was doing.

"Then come to bed with me." Anna finally said the words that had been on her tongue since the moment that they had been left alone.

XXXXXXXX

 _Then come to bed with me._ Elsa rolled the words around in her mind as she attempted to will her body into any sort of motion. Anna was clearly quite serious about her offer, she was even very gently trying to shift Elsa's body to face the appropriate direction. Just a few gentle tugs and Elsa was moving, Anna was ahead of her and holding her hand tightly, pulling Elsa along behind her as they quite awkwardly made their way to Anna's room.

Elsa had hoped that the night at Anna's party might have ended like this, but if someone had told her that tonight would play out this way she would have laughed. She hadn't imagined anything sexual playing out tonight at all! Well, she _had_ imagined it, but it certainly didn't seem a likely end to the night. And yet it seemed to be happening, unfolding right in front of her like a dream.

Anna wasted no time when they reached her room, shutting the door and all but shoving Elsa against it. Elsa gasped as she made contact with the door, but the sound was quickly silenced by Anna's lips meeting her own. What had gotten into her? Just a week ago Anna was timidly feeling, testing the waters and now...

Elsa couldn't help but wonder if this _was_ a dream after all, she'd had more than her fair share of them since meeting Anna. But as Anna began trailing kisses down Elsa's neck, Elsa received her knowledge of whether or not this was all a dream. With the gentlest of pressures, Anna bit into the sensitive skin of Elsa's neck.

"Fuck." Elsa gasped the word involuntarily as a rush of heat surged into her belly. She knew in an instant that her face was red, and, very slowly, she began to lose sight of why she cared if Anna saw her blushing. The mixture of pleasure and pain all at once was intoxicating and Elsa was more than happy to be drunk on Anna.

"Did I hurt you?" Anna whispered, kissing the spot where she had bitten as her hands played with the hem of Elsa's shirt.

"Definitely not. I just didn't expect..."

What didn't she expect? Elsa couldn't be sure anymore, for her head had begun to swim as she was filled with a fog of lust. Her hands quickly found Anna's arms and gently guided her backward, heading toward the bed. Anna's expression had gained a hint of fear, but Elsa was quick to soothe her.

"Don't forget, you can stop this at any time." Elsa whispered, catching Anna's eyes and hoping that her words were sinking in, "I don't care if we're in the middle of something, you say stop and it all stops."

Anna made some little sound of agreement, but it was cut short as she took one too many steps back and nearly stumbled backward onto the bed. Elsa caught her before she could fall, however, denying at least one romantic comedy cliché from happening tonight.

"Wasn't I supposed to be the one being seductive?" Anna asserted, shaking a little as she struggled to right herself.

Elsa chuckled and rolled her eyes as she steadied a wobbly Anna, only to have Anna turn from her grip and flop unceremoniously onto the bed. Anna seemed to be scooting to the side so that Elsa could join her, so Elsa kicked off her shoes and slid into the bed alongside Anna. Without even thinking Elsa draped an arm over Anna, smiling happily at the back of Anna's head.

Anna pushed herself back and further into Elsa's embrace but she never rolled over to face Elsa. Though Elsa hadn't expected to end up like this, she took advantage of the opportunity and run her fingers through Anna's hair. Anna smelled of something Elsa couldn't quite place, but it was something familiar and comforting all at once.

"Are you trying to put me to sleep so that you don't have to sleep with me?"

Elsa made a face, though she knew that Anna couldn't see her. "If you were asleep and I fell asleep too, then wouldn't I still be sleeping with you?"

Clearly Anna hadn't liked Elsa's quick response, for she finally rolled over, trying in vain to keep her lengthy hair out of her face as she did so. Elsa helped as best as she could, brushing tendrils back behind Anna's ear despite Anna's playful glaring at her. She could only hold the glare for a few seconds though, it seemed, for her features softened into a small frown.

"Is this normal for you?"

"Normal?"

Anna avoided her gaze, so Elsa stopped trying to meet her eyes in the hopes that it would spur the explanation that she desired. "This. Just laying in bed before we even...it feels like we lost the momentum and now nothing is going to happen."

"Oh Anna..."

Elsa couldn't find the words to tell her how silly the thought was, instead she only smiled and placed her hand on Anna's cheek. There was something refreshing about this whole experience, Elsa mused. Unlike other encounters this had the potential to be something sweet, something beneficial for both of them. Careful not to seem too forward and bruise Anna's ego further, Elsa leaned in to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. Or, she attempted to, for Anna had quite suddenly shifted her head just enough for Elsa to make contact with her lips.

In a second Elsa would once again be at Anna's mercy as she attacked with quick little kisses, even going so far as to nip at Elsa's bottom lip in the process. All at once Anna was moving closer, forcing Elsa to lay on her back rather than her side. The onslaught of kisses stopped, but only long enough for Anna to clumsily swing her leg over Elsa's body and and straddle her. Looking at Anna now, watching her pull her hair back into a ponytail as she knelt over Elsa, it was an image of perfection. _Maybe I am dreaming._

 **a/n: I know you guys probably hate me for this, but I decided to cut this chapter a little short. The next portion had grown too long to include in this chapter comfortably. See you all in two weeks!**


	18. Unchained Melody

Chapter Eighteen: Unchained Melody

Anna was the poster child of 'calm' as she tied her hair back, grinning as color flooded into Elsa's cheeks. The temptation was too great and she couldn't resist any longer, Anna leaned forward and kissed Elsa again. This time, however, it was no series of small kisses that she would give. No, she kissed Elsa hard. While one hand supported her weight, the other found the hem of Elsa's shirt and, without hesitation, slipped beneath the fabric.

Elsa's stomach was hot against her hand and Anna nervously wondered if Elsa was too warm in the house or if the heat was because of Anna's presence on top of her. Anna marveled at how soft Elsa's skin was as she teased her way up Elsa's belly. As she reached Elsa's breast there was an audible gasp, Anna greedily took advantage of Elsa's parted lips and boldly slipped her tongue past them. Hers was met with Elsa's, as well as a moan so heated that Anna could feel the vibrations of it.

"Here, let me..."

Anna huffed as Elsa parted from her, but the realization that Elsa was reaching down to pull her top off was more than enough for Anna to lean up and let Elsa lean forward as well. Elsa all but threw her shirt to the side, but when she looked up at Anna there was reluctance written all over her face. There was clearly some debate going on in her mind, but Anna was afraid to ask any questions for fear of ruining the moment that they had cultivated.

But Elsa didn't debate for too long before reaching behind her back and unhooking her bra as well, though she pressed her hands to her chest as the straps loosened over her shoulders from the lack of tension. She almost looked meek as she grinned up at Anna, one side of her mouth higher than the other as if she wasn't entirely sure that what she had just done was alright.

Anna, who was growing more eager by the second, reached out and gently pushing the straps down Elsa's arms in the hopes of reassuring her. Elsa relented surprisingly easily, at least it seemed that way to Anna who watched in stunned appreciation as the offending garment was slipped completely off and tossed to the floor.

This was so much different than their last encounter, Anna could actually _see_ Elsa now, and that meant that Elsa could also see her. Anna could feel an offensive and uninvited heat flushing quickly into her face as she stared wide eyed and no doubt slack jawed at Elsa's now exposed skin. Much like the typically visible skin, Elsa's chest was equally as pale and porcelain. Her breasts seemed much more plump and rounded than Anna's, and Anna felt a twinge of jealousy as she took Elsa in.

"You're staring." Elsa breathed, "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Raising her hand, Anna didn't hesitate as she cupped Elsa's breast again, this time eliciting a quiet whimper as she ran her thumb across a now exposed nipple. Anna hardly thought that Elsa's question required a response, so she didn't give one. At least, not a verbal one. Anna made a quiet sound of contentment as she pressed her hand to Elsa's chest, forcing her to lie back.

Anna was relentless, taunting and teasing until she received a clear sign that she had broken Elsa. She felt Elsa's hands fumbling with the fabric of her shirt, desperately trying to remove the layer of obstruction between herself and Anna. She paused for just long enough for Elsa to remove her shirt, but was quickly back to her work.

It seemed, however, that allowing her shirt to be removed had been a large mistake. Elsa's hands were far more skilled than her own and she made quick work of the clasp of Anna's bra which Anna paused to rid herself of. She instantly regretted it, for soon she had to bite her own lip to stifle the frustrated groan that threatened to escape her as Elsa's hands went to work to pay Anna back for all of the teasing that she had been doing. The intensity of the heat building in Anna's groin told her that she was quickly losing control of the situation, but what was she to do but succumb to it?

Her hands were now on above Elsa's head and gripping the sheets tightly as Elsa shifted beneath her, lavishing her chest with kisses. Anna's eyes slipped shut as she tried to keep her hips from rocking against Elsa, but when she felt the heat and wetness of Elsa's tongue against her nipple all hope of preventing the action was lost. She moaned, her grip tightening on the sheets as her hips bucked in response.

"Is everything okay?"

The question had been breathed against her breast as Elsa kissed a trail toward the other side of her chest. Anna struggled with language for a moment, trying to remember what words meant what before finally managing to mumble "Absolutely."

The moment the word was out Anna found herself trying to remember how to breathe as she felt Elsa's hand trail down her stomach and come to rest between her legs. Despite her best efforts, Anna's hips betrayed her, bucking hard a single time into Elsa's hand. "S-sorry." Anna groaned, pushing herself shakily back up so that she sat atop Elsa once more.

"Was that too soon?"

Elsa was flushed from her cheeks to the top of her chest, her pupils were large and her braid was beginning to come loose from all their rolling around. Even disheveled because of their fooling around, no, _especially_ disheveled because of their fooling around, Elsa was a portrait of beauty. Anna didn't answer her, but she did shift herself off of Elsa, who seemed to panic at the sight, "Anna, was that too much? I'm sorry I, um..."

Anna knelt next to Elsa and made certain that she could see her as she removed her shorts, the action had clearly weighed Elsa's tongue down for she seemed to have nothing more to say. She hesitated with her underwear though, realizing that somehow Elsa had managed to remain far more clothed than she was.

"I'll make you a deal. These will go, but _only_ if you get rid of everything else first."

She had expected some hesitation from Elsa, but found herself in shock as Elsa, with no qualms about the deal at all, immediately began removing the remaining clothing from her bottom half. Anna stared unabashed as Elsa settled back onto the bed in all her glory. Elsa merely stared expectantly at her, almost hungrily. Anna obliged, though quickly grasped at a nearby blanket to cover herself with. She could tell this didn't exactly please Elsa, who had raised an eyebrow in response before joining her under the blanket.

Anna wasn't sure how it happened, but somehow Elsa had managed to position herself between Anna's legs and was gently kissing a trail down Anna's stomach. The realization of what was to come shocked Anna, but she was unable to react as her mind had already begun to enter a melt down.

"Don't forget-" Elsa muttered between kisses, "You say stop and this stops."

The little reassurance had become almost like a mantra to Elsa, it seemed. It was clear that she was intent on making sure that Anna was comfortable, it was quite admirable really. Anna didn't have long to think on that, however, for Elsa had not stopped her rain of kisses and was approaching dangerously close to her intended resting place.

Anna let loose a shaky breath as she felt Elsa pause. It felt like an eternity of awkwardness as she held her eyes shut, trying not to breathe too loudly as she waited for things to kick off. And then her eyes _had_ to be shut, she couldn't have possibly looked at Elsa once she felt the heat of Elsa's mouth enveloping her most sensitive of parts. Anna groaned loudly, gripping the sheets tightly as Elsa wrapped her arms around Anna's legs, pulling her closer.

The pleasure was nearly blinding as Anna writhed under Elsa's controlled motions, any embarrassment or awkwardness that Anna may have felt about Elsa being between her legs had completely fled her. Anna was openly moaning now, gently rocking her hips to give Elsa as much access as she needed. The sensation was quickly becoming too much, nearing the all too familiar frenzy of climax.

Anna rolled her head to the side, moaning loudly into her pillow before whispering "Don't stop."

But instantly everything had ceased and Elsa was peering up at Anna from between her legs, looking a little concerned. "Did you say 'stop' or 'don't-'"

" _Don't_ stop."

Anna practically growled the words, her hand gently brushing Elsa's cheek before entwining in her hair and applying gentle pressure to urge Elsa on. Elsa moaned against her, assuaging the slight worry that Anna may have been too forward. Her breathing settled back into a ragged, rhythmic symphony as Elsa carried on right where she had left off.

The gentle feeling of teeth grazing against her clit caused Anna to gasp, then curse loudly between pants. She found herself moaning Elsa's name without even thinking about it, and it was clear that the sound of it was spurring Elsa on into more frenzied movements. Then, it happened. All at once Anna tensed, gripping Elsa's hair as her hips bucked upward, all the while panting heavily.

Elsa placed a gentle kiss on each of Anna's thighs before unwinding her arms from around Anna's legs and crawling up to Anna's side. "Was that okay?"

Anna looked dumbfounded at the question, was Elsa really asking that? "You've got to be joking. How could you even think that was anything but fantastic?"

"I just wanted to be sure. Are you okay?"

Huffing, Anna rolled to her side and wrapped an arm around Elsa. "I've literally never felt better in my whole life."

The warmth of Elsa's arms wrapping around her made Anna feel as though she was being enveloped in pure love and adoration. It was a comforting feeling. Too comforting it seemed, for after a few moments Anna found herself breathing slowing as sleep took her.

XXXXXXXX

As sunlight began streaming through a nearby window, Elsa found her tired eyes opening without her permission. The sight of a slumbering Anna before her almost made up for how difficult it had been to fall asleep the night before, almost. As carefully as she could manage, Elsa slid her arm from atop Anna and moved herself off of the bed. Wobbling slightly from her strange sleeping position Elsa made her way toward a door that she hoped was the bathroom. This morning she was lucky, for her guess had been correct and she was able to slide into the room and quietly shut the door.

A quick flip of the light switch, a quietly muttered curse at the sudden and intrusively bright light, and Elsa was able to turn on the water, rinsing her face to eradicate the remains of her interaction with Anna the night before. It was only after she finished drying her face that Elsa noticed a small blue bag sitting on the counter, a little tag poking out of the zipper with her name written on it. Elsa glanced back at the bathroom door, a little confused as she picked it up and opened it. What was inside would make her smile in spite of the early hour.

It seemed as though Anna had known that Elsa would stay the night, and had at least been more confident about it than Elsa herself had. Within the bag sat all the toiletries that she might need, and with a thankful heart Elsa began to get herself ready for the morning to come.

Upon finally leaving, the still nude Elsa noted that Anna was still sleeping away undisturbed, even snoring lightly here and there. Since Elsa had evacuated the bed, Anna seemed to have spread herself out as much as physically possible. The sight made Elsa wonder how they had both managed to sleep on her bed in the first place. Elsa gathered her clothing as quietly as she could, re-dressing herself before sneaking out into the living room.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Elsa crossed the threshold and meandered into the kitchen, hopes high that she would be able to prepare a good breakfast for Anna this morning. Much to her surprise, though she admitted to herself after the initial shock that it shouldn't have been surprising, Anna had actually stocked up the refrigerator with more than enough food for them to have a banquet this morning.

In her disheveled clothing, Elsa went about the process of preparing their breakfast. Or, she was doing the best that she was able to given her lack of knowledge of the kitchen that she was in. First, she prepared fruits, washing and slicing a mixture of berries before realizing that she would have to locate a bowl to put them in. After a short bout of searching, Elsa managed to locate them and pulled a few out, knowing she would need another one for pancake mix.

It was a long process, but eventually there was a whole spread laid out for the pair. Chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, bacon, fruit, and a glass for each of them with rich chocolate milk. As Elsa stepped back to admire her work she started as Anna's bedroom door all but slammed open. Turning around Elsa spotted Anna trying to tug her shirt over her head and looking a little confused when she realized that Elsa was standing in her kitchen.

The smells must have hit Anna quite suddenly, for her face seemed to soften as she stood looking bewildered. Elsa looked on, one brow raised as though she were amused by Anna's antics. "Well, good morning sleepy head."

"M-morning." Anna's face flushed with color and she looked to the side as she approached Elsa, wide eyed and taking in the table that had been set up for them. "What's all this?"

Elsa's heart sank, perhaps Anna _hadn't_ anticipated her staying the night and had only provided the toiletries as a kindness for her to use before she left for the night? She swallowed nervously, suddenly finding herself in what could potentially be an awkward situation indeed. "It's um, breakfast?"

"I mean I can see that, but-" Anna paused, still avoiding looking directly at Elsa, "-but, why?"

Elsa's face fell as she cleared her throat, preparing to hear an earful about how she should have left last night rather than stay. All the typical excuses cropped up into her mind: it would have been unsafe to leave the door unlocked overnight, she believed Anna had wanted her to stay, she couldn't leave because she, too, had fallen asleep. Elsa's tongue remained still when it came to voicing those excuses, however, and instead she opted for an obvious answer.

"Typically after people sleep they wake up and have breakfast?"

Anna looked frustrated, which made Elsa all the more anxious about the situation. Her stomach had began churning in a way very much unrelated to her hunger. Her previous imaginings of how this morning would play out had fled her mind were replaced very easily with an uncertainty that loomed like dark clouds threatening a sunny day.

"Elsa, listen I-" Again, Anna paused. It was enough to make the already tense situation almost unbearable. "I'm so sorry about last night."

"W-what?"

"Last night, I didn't mean for that to...w-what I mean to say is that..."

"Anna, just say it." Elsa braced for the worst. It wouldn't be the first time something like this happened, after all. Perhaps she had gotten a little ahead of herself in her thoughts of what she and Anna could be.

"I fell asleep. I'm so sorry, I _really_ didn't mean to, I swear. I'm not that kind of person, really."

The silence that came from Elsa was more lengthy than she intended, but the genuine feeling of relief that was washing over her was too much to process all at once. Everything was absolutely fine, as it should have been, and it seemed that Anna might actually be the one to finally shake away the ghosts of Elsa's past.

Elsa quickly scooped up Anna into her arms, hugging her briefly, but tightly. "Don't worry about that, I'm just glad you're not throwing me out."

When Elsa pulled a chair out for her, Anna took a seat, still looking a little confused. "What do you mean 'throwing you out?' How could I do that after last night?"

"You'd be surprised." Elsa said with a smile, stacking two pancakes on Anna's plate and scooping some eggs and fruit onto a smaller plate for her.

"Seriously?"

Making a sound of confirmation, Elsa sat down next to Anna and began loading her own plate. The pair ate in silence for a while, but eventually Anna dropped her hand to the table and looked incredulously in Elsa's direction.

"You mean to tell me that someone would be willing to kick you out after you f-fucked them like that?"

Elsa smiled as Anna seemed to struggle to get the word 'fucked' out, nodding her head in agreement. "You heard right."

"I just don't believe that. And you made breakfast too! What idiots. The least they could do is wait until _after_ breakfast to-" Anna stopped as Elsa whipped her head around to face her, "I'm kidding, just kidding! Besides, no one else should get to experience what I did last night."

Once Elsa had calmed down from her mini heart attack at Anna's words she was able to process what had just been said. Anna had shown her desire to keep Elsa all to herself, and had done it so easily, almost like she was comfortable with the idea that they could be spending quite a bit of time with one another.

"Do you mean to say that you want me all to yourself?" The question was loaded, carefully crafted in Elsa's mind to see what response Anna might issue.

Anna's face flooded with color again as she stared down into her plate, careful to keep her eyes on her food rather than looking at Elsa. "I mean we're dating, right? So. Definitely."

A broad grin tugged at the corners of her mouth and suddenly Elsa was the one unable to look at her companion. The remainder of their meal was spent in relative silence, aside from the soft sounds of amusement as they occasionally made eye contact over the table. Clean up was quick, since Elsa had cleaned as she cooked, and all too soon it was time for the pair to part.

"Are you sure you have to leave?"

Elsa lifted a hand to Anna's cheek and caressed it gently, brushing her thumb across the slowly coloring skin, "I am. I doubt my patrons would be understanding if I didn't show up tonight."

Anna looked quite adorable as she pouted, shifting her face out of Elsa's hand and crossing her arms over her chest. Elsa did not bow to the strength of Anna's act, however, and Anna eventually relented with a dramatic sigh.

"Fine." Anna dragged out the word, dropping her arms back to her side. "When can I see you again?"

"Soon, I hope."

XXXXXXXX

Soon came much sooner than Elsa ever could have expected, and in the most surprising of ways. Elsa had arrived home and showered after a long afternoon of teaching a class, only to hear a knock on the door. Her brows furrowed at the sound, she hadn't invited anyone over this evening and it seemed far too early for any of her neighbors to be wandering drunkenly to the wrong apartment, but she shrugged the oddity of it off.

Without even checking the peephole Elsa cracked the door open and immediately had to resist the urge to slam it shut again. Anna stood outside her door with a brilliant smile on her lips, and she wasabsolutely the last person Elsa could have expected to be at her door at this time during a weeknight. It had hardly been a week since she had seen Anna, and they had yet to mention getting together again, but here she was!

"Anna? What are you doing here?" Elsa shuffled behind the door, suddenly very aware of how childish her pajamas depicting little foxes frolicking in the woods might look to Anna.

"I thought you might like a little dinner? If that's okay, I mean."

Elsa finally looked down as Anna lifted the bags in her hand. They seemed too numerous to be takeout, but if Anna hadn't been sure what to get then she may have gone overboard. Elsa cleared her throat, stepping back and opening the door wider to allow Anna inside. Anna seemed to regard her attire and looked a little less than enthused, causing Elsa to shuffle awkwardly on the spot.

"I should go change, I'm sorry you caught me like this."

"No! No, please, stay comfortable. I just feel bad, I didn't really plan this through I just kind of showed up. I'm sorry."

"Why _did_ you just show up, anyway? Not that I would ever deny you but it is a little strange..."

"Well you told me about your class so I just knew you'd had a hard day and I thought to myself, 'what would Elsa like most after a long day?' And after I stopped blushing from the _first_ thing that came to mind I-"

"The first thing?" Elsa asked, all but forgetting her current attire as she helped Anna put away the bags so that she could hold her hostage for answers. "Tell me more about this 'first thing'."

Anna visibly reddened, only causing Elsa to smile. "Don't you want to hear about my plan to make you dinner?"

"I hope you aren't offended, but I think I would rather skip right to dessert..."

The line was corny but clearly it had worked wonders on Anna, who immediately reacted with passion. Elsa was almost knocked over as Anna closed the distance between them, hastily pressing her lips to Elsa's in a way that was much more rough than Elsa had expected. Elsa melted in to the kisses, however, gladly parting her lips for Anna's demanding tongue.

It was strange to think that just moments ago she had been planning a night alone, and as though answering her unspoken prayers Anna showed up on her doorstep. Since it was such a rare and special occasion, Elsa decided then and there that she would take full advantage of the situation. She moved quickly, grasping Anna's hips and pivoting her as they kissed so that Elsa could walk her back into her bedroom.

As she neared the closed door, Elsa broke their kiss to bend down and lift Anna up. Anna tightened her legs around Elsa's hips, which only spurred Elsa on. Anna's arms were wrapped around her neck and their kisses had become so heated that Elsa struggled to find her own doorknob. Finally the door swung open and Elsa carried Anna to her bed, caressing Anna's breasts once she had set her down. Elsa had already gotten to her knees and begun to reach for Anna's waistband when Anna stopped her.

"Not this time." she moaned, clearly struggling to get the words out.

"Oh god, I'm sorry." Elsa shuffled backward on her knees, looking a little frightened at how quickly they had managed to make it into her bedroom.

"No, no! I didn't mean- I just meant that I'm going to _take care of_ you this time." Anna corrected herself quickly, extending a hand to pull Elsa up onto the bed with her.

Elsa was easily persuaded, the familiar warmth between her legs urged her to do anything Anna said if it meant release was imminent. Anna wasted no time with formalities, which surprised Elsa, but only a little. After all, this was what people did when they started down the slippery slope of physical interaction, wasn't it? Elsa didn't have long to contemplate that, for Anna roughly shoved her to her back and straddled her.

"Well, this looks very familiar. Where have I seen this before?" Elsa feigned concentrated thought, though her mind was far from being sharply focused on anything but what Anna could be doing to her in the near future.

"Shut up. This won't be like last time."

Anna seemed quite sure of herself as she knelt over Elsa, pulling her twin braids back to tie them together. The image brought to mind their previous encounter and Elsa found herself letting out a shaky breath at the thought.

"Oh? It won't?" It was hardly a romantic gesture, asking such a silly question. In fact it was clearly Elsa fishing for more from Anna. More words, more actions, more anything.

"No, it won't. This time you'll be the one squirming-" Anna paused, roughly tugged Elsa's shirt up and over her head, "-and writhing,-" Fingers trailed down Elsa's sides, then back up to cup her breasts as Anna frowned at the fabric between her fingers and Elsa's skin. "-and moaning my name."

Elsa sharply inhaled at the bold statement, the sound clearly betraying how bemused she was by the situation. Anna, who had been so timid that she couldn't kiss Elsa that nearly fateful night in her studio, now knelt over a half naked Elsa and seemed so much more confident than she ever had before.

"I don't know what's gotten in to you, but I think I like it."

"I think you should be more concerned about what's going to be getting into you-" Elsa shot up from the bed, growling as Anna's hand stopped her from going in for a kiss. Anna kept a finger to Elsa's lips as she reached behind her with one hand and unhooked Elsa's bra. "It's not nice to interrupt people, you know."

Elsa shivered as Anna pulled her bra off, tossing it to the floor before removing her finger from Elsa's lips and replacing it with her own lips. For such bold words Anna kissed her painfully gently, her fingers just barely flitting over Elsa's breasts. It was all Elsa could do not to shake on the spot, not to press Anna's hands roughly into her. If Anna wanted things to progress this way way, then she would have to suffer this torture quietly.

So, she suffered. Elsa quieted the little gasps that threatened to escape her lips as Anna pressed her back into the bed, and she kept her body still when Anna far too slowly hooked her fingers under Elsa's pajama bottoms and panties at the same, shuffling backward and removing them at a pace that sent Elsa's heart into overdrive. Elsa could feel her own pulse throughout her body as she whimpered quietly in response to the sight of Anna crawling back up toward her.

In an instant Anna had settled at her side, leaning over Elsa and gently kissing her cheeks as one hand trailed slowly down Elsa's body. It was truly like torture, though whether Anna was nervous in spite of her bravado and taking things slow or if she knew exactly what she was doing was beyond Elsa at the moment. Anna's fingers trailed down Elsa's hips and avoided exactly where Elsa expected her to touch, earning a frustrated groan out of Elsa.

"Is something wrong?"

Anna had mumbled the words against Elsa's lips and given her a momentary reprieve, but it was almost more painful than the slow torturous movements. Elsa already felt the heat in her chest and stomach, and the wetness between her legs was almost too much to bear. "I want you."

Elsa might have tensed as she watched Anna's eyes grow wide, but the playful grin that overtook her face was a clear sign to Elsa that she had said exactly what needed to be said. Greedily she parted her legs as she felt Anna's fingers grazing the skin of her thighs. Elsa's breaths grew louder and a little shaky as Anna teased her, almost seeming to play in the positive proof of Elsa's want for her.

"I never thought I'd be doing this, especially not with you."

The words hardly registered with Elsa, who was gripping the sheets as she rocked against Anna's teasing fingers, trying desperately to get her to dispense with these games and get to the real matter at hand. "Why not?" she rasped.

Anna didn't seem to believe that Elsa needed a response, however, for the next thing Elsa knew Anna was shifting again and placing kisses down her neck and chest, all while still tormenting Elsa with gentle movements of her fingers. Elsa couldn't stifle her gasp as Anna simultaneously bit her nipple and slowly penetrated her.

"Fuck."

Elsa could feel the heat flushing into her cheeks as her eyes slipped shut, Anna was wasting no more time it seemed. Elsa could feel Anna's thumb rocking back and forth against her clit as Anna moved her wrist in slow deliberate motions. All the while Elsa was growing more wild, gripping the sheets tightly and no longer just rocking her hips but pushing up into Anna's hand with each little thrust.

Her breaths came in ragged, uneven spurts as she struggled to match her rhythm with Anna's. The more in sync they became, the more desperately Elsa bucked against her. She muttered a string of obscenities, moaned Anna's name more times than she cared to count, she even called out once so loudly that she was certain her neighbors would have something to say about it in the morning. It was after that when Anna kissed her hard again, pressing her tongue into Elsa's mouth and all but shoving Elsa over the edge.

Breaking away from Anna's kiss, Elsa's mouth hung slightly open as her back arched and she shuddered violently, feeling herself tightening on to Anna's fingers shamelessly. Elsa kissed Anna over and over again, gentle and sweet, as her breathing evened out again and the stupor of pleasure slowly ebbed.

"Anna, that was-"

"Was it bad? Please tell me you didn't fake that..."

Elsa looked appalled momentarily before shaking her head, "There was no need."

The words were obviously reassuring enough, for Anna smirked a triumphant smirk before starting to move her hand again. Elsa moved quickly though, grabbing her by the wrist and shaking her head at Anna. "Now, now. As of right now we're even, so I think you should lose the clothes and we can continue from there."

Elsa frowned as Anna averted her eyes, but carefully and obediently withdrew her hand. "I can't."

Can't? That didn't seem right, how could Anna not... _Oh._ "I don't mind, you know. I've got some old towels we can put down, and everything cleans up anyway. Plus I hear the orgasms are much better when you-"

"Nope!" Anna looked mortified, shaking her head and trying to hide her face as best as she could, "I am definitely _not_ comfortable with that. N-not yet anyway."

"Are you sure? If you're not comfortable with me using my hands then I've got some other things we could..."

Elsa trailed off as she saw the mortified look on Anna's face, despite Elsa's offers it seemed that poor Anna would bravely stick out the night. It was fair, but in a way it wasn't. There was so much more to this that Anna was missing, but there would be time for that eventually.

"I should probably get cleaned up." Anna muttered, looking timidly at Elsa, "I still have to cook you dinner."

"You're really cooking for me? When you started kissing me I was sure it had all been a ruse to get in my pants."

"Of course I am! I wouldn't just come over and...well, you know, and not even cook you dinner."

"I hope you had the foresight to bring clothes," Elsa called out as Anna entered the attached bathroom, "You can't possibly leave me tonight."

Anna poked her head around the corner to smile warmly at Elsa, "Maybe I did."

As the door shut Elsa found herself rolling over to where Anna had been next to her, breathing in the faint but still distinct smell of Anna. _I'm not sure which god I pleased, but clearly I'm doing something right by someone somewhere._ Elsa mused, thinking on how wonderful life was now that she had Anna.


	19. Stay With Me

Chapter Nineteen: Stay With Me

Were she not wearing heels, Elsa may have been rocking back and forth with all the anxiety coursing through her veins. After many weeks of sweet dates followed by sordid evenings Anna had asked her to an unusual place, Crystal Hill. Until now their dates had been relatively normal things, meals out (or in), movies, fun places, but this was entirely different.

Among the people of the town Crystal Hill was known as the hottest proposal spot around, and that fact alone had Elsa's head swimming. They were hardly at that stage of their relationship, and yet here Elsa stood waiting patiently on Anna to arrive and clarify the purpose of their meeting here tonight. Her nerves were frayed from the thought of possibly having to decide on the spot what to do, but she wouldn't have much time to continue wallowing.

"Sorry I'm a little later than I expected to be, I got held up at work." Anna panted as she finally reached Elsa, putting a temporary end to the rapid fire clicking sound of her heels on the pavement. Elsa couldn't help but notice how hungrily Anna looked her up and down before gesturing to the entrance. "Shall we?"

It took only moments for the pair to walk in and be seated, which Elsa thought a little strange given how nice this restaurant was. Elsa couldn't imagine what Anna had to do to secure a table so quickly, but she suppressed the worry as best as she could as the pair ordered their food and were finally left alone together.

Their table was in a dimly lit corner of the restaurant, a tall white candle burned happily off to the side. It was just as romantic as could be expected of the popular restaurant, but the vibe was squashed as Anna's phone began to ring loudly. Elsa watched as Anna frantically dug in her bag and put the phone on vibrate.

"So, tell me all about your day." Elsa peered expectantly at Anna across the table, lacing her own fingers together on top of the tablecloth, "Seems like maybe it's seeping into your evening?"

"You don't even want to know. Besides, I'd be much more interested in your day. Your messages were getting a little, erm, _insistent_. It made for a tense afternoon."

Elsa managed to maintain her cool facade as she took a sip of water before lowering her voice and leaning closer over the table, "It could be that someone sent me a few _very_ interesting photos early this morning and got me a little hot under the collar. I can't be blamed for my reactions."

Anna visibly reddened as a waiter passed by and coughed, though whether out of necessity or because he had overheard them Elsa wasn't sure. Frankly, she couldn't care whether he had heard her or not, Anna had been the one to start this little game after all, and Elsa was more than happy to play.

"You shouldn't talk like that here..." Anna whispered hotly, looking a little stressed at the sexually charged situation they were creating.

This was their normal now. They were no doubt in the 'honeymoon' phase of their relationship, much deserved after the hard road that led them here. Every time they were together, try as they might to avoid it, things always turned sexual more quickly than either would expect. But as the pair locked eyes over the table, Elsa clearly exerting a dominance over Anna, Anna's phone began to vibrate in her purse, the sound of it rattling against her keys was overwhelmingly loud in the quiet restaurant.

"Do you need to get that? It's alright if you do." Elsa asked, her brows knitting in concern. Typically Anna's phone hardly ever went off, and when it did it almost never rang repeatedly.

"It's not important." Anna huffed, hurriedly rejecting the call and turning her phone from vibrate to silent before shoving it back into her bag. "Where were we?"

Elsa smirked, wondering if Anna had really forgotten already or if she was trying to pretend as though the ringing of her phone wasn't bothering her. Her cheeks were still flushed and rosy, so Elsa had a sneaking suspicion that Anna was trying to look less interested in this situation than she was. "I believe you were chastising my choice of words? Though, I can't see why. After all, you're the one sending-"

Anna nearly tipped a glass as she reached over the table to silence Elsa. "Quiet." she hissed, but Elsa was still under the impression that the heat of their conversation was simply making the game all the more interesting. Elsa's tongue slipped out to wet her own lips as she took a slow breath in.

"Don't want anyone hearing about-"

"Anna? Anna, there you are!

Elsa had never before seen the color drain so quickly from someone's face, and she could feel herself getting nervous despite not knowing what was causing this change. Anna slowly stood up, the most horrified look on her face as she did so. "M-mom?"

"Anna dear, we've been looking for you everywhere! The crazy old woman with the strange hair at your office said that you were here on a date tonight, but clearly she was mistaken. Can you imagine, two _women_ on a date? I might believe it, if it weren't my Anna!"

The woman guffawed loudly and Elsa didn't even have to turn around to know what sort of face she had made when she slung that homophobic insult. And had she misheard or had Anna called this woman 'mom?' This encounter would hardly be a pleasant one, she surmised, but Elsa stood and faced Anna's mother and, despite feeling her anger beginning to bubble up at the words already spoken, she put on her most winning smile. First impressions were very important, after all.

"What are you doing here? Where's dad?" Anna's voice had just the slightest hint of a waver. She was clearly not terribly pleased to see her mother, but why Elsa hadn't completely decided yet.

"Your father will be along any minute, you know how he likes to dally, smelling the roses and all that nonsense. And you are?"

It was clearly Elsa's turn to be scrutinized, and scrutinize this woman did. Elsa could practically feel the woman's eyes raking over ever imperfection, real or imagined, on her body. "How rude of me, I can't believe I almost forgot to introduce myself. Elsa, Elsa Ross."

" _The_ Elsa Ross?"

"What do you mean 'the'?" Anna queried, looking a little lost as she glanced between Elsa and her mother.

"Anna, you're dining with one of the most premier young artists in Arendelle and you don't even realize it?" Anna's mother's words were sharp toward Anna, but when she rounded back on Elsa she was gushing, "I have a few of your original works hanging in our summer home. Prints just don't do your work justice!"

There was so much information to process here, Elsa was having a difficult time keeping up with what exactly was going on. Clearly Anna's mother knew of her, though how was kind of a mystery. "Thank you, I appreciate the praise Mrs.-"

"Iduna Greene. I doubt my Anna has spoken about her family, she's always been absentminded like that, but I'm certain my husband Agnarr will be along any moment now. He would be crushed if he wasn't able to meet you! How did the two of you end up dining together anyway? I know my Anna isn't nearly charismatic enough to get in with the hip artist crowd without a little help!" Iduna chuckled again and wiped away an imaginary tear, clearly amused by something. "Sorry dear, I just keep thinking about what Anna's coworker said. My Anna could hardly get a date with a man, let alone a woman like you."

Elsa shot a pleading look in Anna's direction, very uncertain of what sort of response she should be issuing. Clearly Iduna had no clue that her daughter was dating another woman, let alone sleeping with one, so what could be said? 'We're sleeping together?' 'We had a long, complicated, semi-courtship and now here we are as a couple?' Elsa's normally quick mind was bogged down with the uncertainty of where she should be treading in this conversation.

"Truthfully I would be lucky to have someone like your daughter, she's quite a brilliant woman. I'm-"

"She's painting a mural on one of the walls of my house." Anna said the words so fast that Elsa wasn't even entirely sure that she had heard them correctly. Iduna, however, looked quite stunned.

"Have you got the money for that? I highly doubt Miss Ross, it is Miss, isn't it dear? I wouldn't want to be offensive if you're married!" When Elsa nodded, Iduna continued, "I highly doubt Miss Ross is interested in charity cases."

Elsa watched helplessly as Anna's face colored, finding that the usually alluring shade on Anna's cheeks was only serving to stir her frustration with the situation. All this time Elsa had wondered, at the back of her mind, why Anna hadn't mentioned much of anything about her family. Being here, now, however, it was quite clear to Elsa why she had refrained.

"Now dear, I'm certain that she makes plenty of money. If not I'd be more than happy to fund such an endeavor."

A man that was very clearly Anna's father stepped up behind Iduna, seeming the polar opposite of his wife. He extended his arm and, a little clumsily, shook Elsa's hand. "Forgive me, it's not every day I get to meet a celebrity."

"I'm hardly a celebrity." Elsa flushed, despite her still lingering anger at Anna's mother. "I'm only now starting to gain popularity in town."

"Nonsense, I've been watching you improve since before your parents passed, you have always been a strong artist. I'm so thankful that you continued working and didn't lose your drive to create."

Elsa froze, she hadn't told Anna much of anything about her parents, and yet somehow this man, this _stranger_ had known. He had been following her, he said. What exactly did that mean, and how much about her did he know? "Did you know them?"

"Only in passing, that's how Iduna and I managed to snag a few of your early original works. Your parents had taken a few of your pieces to sell and we happened to come across them while I was here attending a business convention. Imagine my surprise when they told me how young you were then. To be so talented, what a life it must be."

Elsa did all she could to prevent herself from breathing a sigh of relief. It would be one thing to deal with Anna's parents as they were, but if they had known her own parents more deeply it might have made their meeting a little more difficult. "You're too kind."

"You still haven't said what you're doing here." Anna interjected, looking quite sullen at the sight of her parents interrupting their night alone together.

"We're here to visit our lovely daughter!"

"And Kristoff?"

Both parents visibly tensed, though it was Agnarr who reacted first. "If he'll see us, we'd be happy to see him as well."

As Iduna visibly struggled to keep her expression pleasant, the pieces started falling in to place for Elsa. The offhand homophobic comment, the clear lack of comfort talking about their son, and Anna's lack of mentioning much about her family life told Elsa all that she needed to know about these people. Even with this opinion already forming in her mind, she tried to maintain a neutral feeling about them until she learned more about who they currently were, rather than who they were in the past.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse us, we have a meal to get to."

Anna was curt, but her parents either didn't mind the sharp tone or hadn't noticed it. "If you haven't told them who you are then don't dear. I'd like to know how they're treating our customers."

"Our?" Elsa asked, glancing back as Anna tugged the chair out from the table and sat down once again.

Agnarr smiled, "Why yes, Iduna and I funded the construction of this restaurant. Just as we hoped, it has flourished here in Arendelle."

"Enough bragging, time to get going. We'll catch up with Anna later this evening."

With a jaunty in-unison wave the pair was gone as quickly as they had come. Elsa sat herself down and the moment that they were out of earshot she smirked at Anna across the table. "Now, I do believe we were discussing some photos that you sent to me today?"

Anna's repsonse was hardly what Elsa expected. Anna groaned, covering her face in her hands and all but laying her head on the table. "I'm _so_ sorry."

"Sorry? What for?"

"I don't even know where to start. I had no idea you were so famous and-"

"I think they were just a little overly excited."

"-and I had no idea about your parents-"

"Well, I hadn't told you Anna. How could you be expected to know?" Elsa sighed, knowing simply by the look on Anna's face that her interruption wouldn't be the last of Anna's rant.

"-and _my_ parents were awful about this whole _thing_. I just can't believe it. I knew I should have answered their call but I just..." Anna groaned again, this time a little more quietly, "I didn't want them to ruin the night."

As the waiter approached, Anna gathered herself up and looked a little more cheery once her food was in front of her. The moment the waiter withdrew, however, Anna's smile faded once again.

"You know, the night isn't ruined." Elsa smiled as she popped a chunk of roasted carrot into her mouth, her grin only widening as Anna timidly looked up from her plate, "Your parents love me, so we're already halfway to them being slightly less angry when they find out that I'm sleeping with their beloved child."

The words hardly seemed to cheer Anna up, in fact Anna glared at her for a few seconds across the table before continuing to poke at her dinner. "I really am sorry you had to hear that."

"What was more concerning to me was hearing the way your mother talked about you." Elsa confessed, "Like you weren't ever going to find someone."

"Let's just say my dating record isn't exactly the greatest. Lots of dates, not a lot of relationships."

"I'm sure she's just worried about you, even if she does express it in a unique way."

XXXXXXXX

Frustration didn't begin to describe the emotion Anna felt as she had to break away from a passionate kiss with Elsa so that she could leave to 'visit' with her parents. As kind as Elsa had been suggesting that their actions were motivated by love, Anna knew better. The pair often flitted here and there on business ventures, but it was rare that they returned home simply to see their children. Especially not Kristoff.

It had been years since they had been together as a family, a _real_ family. Kristoff's coming out had shaken the very earth they all walked on, their once comforting home life had all but shattered beneath their feet, leaving them to pray that they would each individually land on their feet. What she would have done without Kristoff's support all these years she didn't know, and she hated to think about. Even now, all these years later, they still sat next to one another in solidarity on one side of Anna's kitchen table as the awkward silence came over their broken family.

"So what brought you into town?" Kristoff's voice was stiff as he spoke, but it did not shake as it had the last time they had all been together. He was stronger now for their absence, and his strength gave Anna strength.

"Is it a crime to want to see your children? The two of you look like we're attending a funeral, you don't look terribly excited to see us at all."

 _Can you blame us?_ Anna thought wryly, "It's just not normal for you to come by without another reason."

Their parents shared a knowing look and chuckled nervously, clearly indicating their understanding of the truth behind Anna's words. It seemed to take them a few seconds to gather themselves, but it wasn't long before Agnarr spoke to his children.

"The truth is, we were really just here to discuss something with Anna." Agnarr shuffled uncomfortably at the table, "But we are grateful as always that we have the opportunity to see the both of you together."

Kristoff exhaled a quiet laugh through his nose, but otherwise remained silent. Anna shifted in her chair. "Okay? So discuss."

"Well, it's a little personal. Are you sure you'd like to do this in front of your brother?"

"Mom, there's nothing you could possibly say that he wouldn't hear anyway. Some of us stuck together when things got rough, remember?"

Both parents looked visibly uncomfortable now, but that didn't seem to stop their desire to continue whatever vendetta they had come to fulfill. "Anna, we've noticed your lack of mention of any, erm, _meaningful_ relationship in your life as of late. You have to understand, that's concerning for us. We want to make sure that you are as happy as, well, as happy as we are. As happy as Kristoff is..."

"What your father is trying to say is that we have found a man for you, since you haven't been able to find one for yourself."

"E-excuse me?"

Anna immediately regretted not letting her parents dismiss Kristoff, who snorted while trying to cover up his laughter. The situation wasn't laughable, but at the same time it very much was. Anna kicked him under the table before leaning back in her chair. Crossing her arms, she made a unimpressed sound and sunk low into the seat while glaring across the table.

"Now, Anna. Your mother and I thought it might be nice if we were to set you up with someone. It isn't like we arranged a marriage for you or anything."

"You don't know anything about me." Anna scoffed, pushing away from the table and beginning to pace behind Kristoff. "Not a thing, and you just come here acting like you want what's best when you have no idea what's going on in my life. How would you know how my love life is going anyway?"

"You're not getting any younger you know."

"Well I _certainly_ don't need your help finding someone to be with. For your information, not that you need or deserve to know anything about my relationships, I'm in a relationship right now."

Both parents looked somewhat relieved, as if the news that their daughter was less likely to end up a lonely spinster woman was the best news that they had ever heard. "Darling that's wonderful tell us all about him."

Anna stopped her pacing as the realization of what she had just done washed over her. She had just opened the door, no, she had just kicked the door in on a very private portion of her life and revealed far more about her personal life than she ever should have tonight. _What have I done?_

"I'd really rather not. You weren't exactly very accepting when Kris brought somebody into his life."

Agnarr chuckled, "Really honey? You're bringing up ancient history, we'd be so happy to hear about your boyfriend. Besides, haven't we settled that whole thing with the two of you already?"

"Thing? _Thing_? You mean the thing where you two all but abandoned your only _son_ because of something he couldn't control? If you're here to make things right then what was all that bullshit mom was spouting earlier? Not 'believing' that two women could be on a date?"

Iduna flushed and hung her head, "Old habits are hard to shake. I did correct myself, in a way."

Anna couldn't believe her ears, hard to shake? She was so enraged that even the quiet knock at the door couldn't move her from where she stood behind Kristoff.

"I'll get that." Agnarr offered, quietly getting up and passing behind Anna and Kristoff as he headed toward the door.

"Kristoff, we truly are sorry for everything that was said before. And Anna, we cannot even begin to say what possessed us to put you between us. We'd..." Iduna seemed to really be considering her next words, "We'd like to think that we can put all that behind us. It...it would be nice to be able to see you all more often."

"All?" Kristoff finally spoke up, raising his gaze from the table to stare Iduna down.

"Yes, even Hans."

"Is that so? So it's going to be one big happy family from here on then?" Iduna nodded in response to Anna, but it wasn't enough to soothe Anna's growing anger. "And what if I told you he wasn't the only one in the family who was gay?"

Silence. The sound had never been so loud in Anna's ears as it was just now. Iduna composed herself, her brow furrowing as her mouth opened and closed slightly. "Anna, are you saying that you are a...a lesbian?"

Anna's heart hammered away in her chest as she stepped forward and put her hands on Kristoff's shoulders, her fingers gripping him tightly as if to tap into his emotional strength for this. She certainly hadn't planned on coming out to her parents today, she would have been perfectly happy to keep them out of the loop for eternity, in fact, but here they were. "I, I mean. Maybe?"

"Oh. Oh my. So, we must be the last to know then. Who is she?"

"I..." Anna couldn't even begin her sentence. She had lied mere hours ago about the very woman that she was about to reveal to her family. Guilt gripped her tight as she stammered, trying to think of some way to reveal that she and Elsa were so much more than a homeowner and an artist for hire.

"If you're having any doubts then there's still the option of at least meeting our guy."

"Mother, don't. Please don't ruin this conversation with your sad little hopes of me finding a man. That's not going to happen. Not because I couldn't find a man, but because the most perfect, most wonderful _woman_ found me-"

"Anna dear-"

Anna didn't even spare her father a glance over her shoulder, but instead continued staring right through her mother, determined to get the words out. "No, dad. Let me say what I'm going to say. I can't even put into words how happy I've been since I found her, I _love_ her. I can say that with such confidence because I don't just know it, I feel it-"

" _Anna_ perhaps now isn't-"

"I lied to you before and I feel so sick over it. Elsa isn't someone I'm hiring to do any painting, she's my girlfriend, my light, my everything. And you two waltzed in and absolutely trampled all over my night with her. I was planning to ask her to live with me tonight, do you know that? And then the two of...you..."

Anna's words slowed as she realized that her mother had begun gesturing quite fervently for Anna to turn around. With an uncertain glance down at Kristoff, who was now looking a little amused as he stared behind Anna as well, Anna herself finally began to turn her head. Her father came into view first, looking a little shocked but still smiling warmly. Then it hit her, why everyone had been trying to stop her from speaking: Elsa was standing right next to her father, looking a little surprised and more than a little red in the face.

"Oh fuck me." Anna covered her mouth with her hand.

"I had hoped to come clean about things to your parents a little differently, but I suppose now that the proverbial cat is out of the bag...I hope you don't think too poorly of me for not correcting you earlier." Elsa smiled despite the mounting pressure of the situation that Anna had let unfold in her presence, it was admirable really. "I realize this isn't quite how you would have thought tonight would be, but I would guess that you still might appreciate an answer?"

Elsa asked the question so nonchalantly that Anna found herself wondering if her own anxiety about asking Elsa this seemingly big question had been unfounded. "I mean. Not right this second, un-unless you know right now which, I mean either way is fine I just..."

Anna shuffled a little as Elsa stepped away from Agnarr and toward Anna, extending her hands for Anna to take. "Anna, I would love nothing more than to spend as much time with you as possible."

Without even thinking Anna pushed Elsa's hand aside and nearly leaped into her arms, hugging Elsa tightly as she chuckled into Anna's hair. But the high of receiving such good news was quick to fade when Anna opened her eyes and saw her father still standing behind Elsa.

Anna was quick to release Elsa, clearing her throat as she turned to see her mother growing teary eyed. She readied herself for the inevitable backlash, but it never came. Instead, Iduna came out of her seat and hugged Kristoff as best as she could given that he was still seated. "Oh my sweet boy, I am so sorry for ever making you feel like you were less for loving Hans. I just didn't see, I didn't know. I'm so sorry, so, so sorry."

XXXXXXXX

Elsa hummed quietly as she folded clothes and packed them into a bag. Esmeralda sat on her bed, arms crossed over her chest and a frown on her face. It had taken fifteen minutes for Elsa to get used to the feeling of Esmeralda watching her every move and offering no assistance, but Elsa was managing just fine all on her own.

"You sure you want to do this? I mean your lease isn't even up for another few months."

"How many times must we go through this? I have more than enough money to take care of the payments, it's just a couple months. I'll be perfectly fine."

"Okay, but, what about the whole actually living with Anna thing? Are you guys actually ready for that? What happens if things don't work out."

"Well, I doubt that anything will be problematic. Anna and I have been getting along really well all things considered."

"But what if something goes wrong? What if she doesn't like the way you-?"

Taking a second to break from her work, Elsa turned to look at Esmeralda and heave a large sigh. "Esmeralda, are you bothered by the fact that I'm moving in with her?"

"Well, you never wanted to move in with me."

"I was never sleeping with you! Esmeralda you're acting like a child losing a toy or something. Just spit it out, what's the problem?"

Esmeralda grumbled and stood up, kicking one foot across the floor and really completing the 'child' image for Elsa, who responded by rolling her eyes and continuing to pack her clothes.

"Els, it's just so quick. I mean stereotypes aside you've just been together a few months, are you sure _she's_ ready for this?"

"Esme, why would she ask me if she wasn't ready? I mean, even if things get rough, _if_ ," she paused, looking sternly over her shoulder at the now pacing Esmeralda, "then I've always got my apartment for a few months."

"And you've got me if something happens, too."

Elsa's hands fumbled with a pair of her socks as the words washed over her. The quiet sound of Esmeralda's pacing had ceased, leaving Elsa to sit in silence as she stared down at her clothes. Esmeralda had been her rock, her support, for so very long now and with the appearance of Anna in her life Elsa had hardly had a spare moment for her.

"Listen, I'm sorry I haven't been a very good friend lately." Esmeralda looked as though she was about to stop Elsa, but Elsa stood up and shook her head. "I know Anna has taken up a lot of my time, but I promise you that you're still the very best friend that I have. Nobody is ever going to take your place, okay?"

Elsa raised her hand to put it on Esmeralda's shoulder, but Esmeralda had different plans. The motion was so quick and unexpected that Elsa did nothing to prevent it when Esmeralda leaned in and placed a lingering kiss on her cheek. She could feel the heat of Esmeralda's breath on her cheek as she stayed right there after the kiss, so very close and completely vulnerable.

The words felt like lead on Elsa's tongue, she was unable to form any thought that was even remotely coherent or appropriate for a moment like this. There had been moments at the beginning of their friendship when this situation had been a possibility, but now...

"Esm-"

"Don't. You don't have to say it, I know."

"I know you know, and I know too. We've just...we've missed the right time, Esme. Your friendship has always meant the world to me and I think when things began with us, well, I know I was weak. You were already with someone and your kindness made me think maybe we could be something. And then you were weak when you and your girlfriend broke up and we _both_ thought..."

"Elsa I know that, I know, it just. We've been doing this for so long and no one has moved in with anyone. This feels so final, like you won't ever be in my life anymore. I can't lose you.."

"I will be in your life, of course I will." Elsa took Esmeralda's hands in her own, "Just...maybe not the way you want right now."

Esmeralda shut her eyes hard, gripping Elsa's hands tightly for a second before freeing them and dropping her own arms to her side. She smiled a pained, but knowing, smile at Elsa as she nodded. Without any further words both women seemed to understand one another. They would be the thing that never was, and both would be happy with where they were in life, because they were friends before all else.


	20. She Will Be

Chapter Twenty: She Will Be

There was no doubt about it, this move in had Elsa's nerves frayed more than they had ever been in recent memory. Nearly every day after work Elsa had been kept until the later hours of the evening selling duplicated furniture and appliances so that she didn't have to move all of the excess. It was a tiring and overwhelming affair to say the least, but even so Elsa continued to load boxes up in her own car each night and tote them to Anna's house without fail.

But for all of her work to get moved in with Anna, it was still hard to move out of her apartment. Even as Elsa pulled into Anna's drive nearly a week after this move had begun, as many of the boxes she could fit stuffed into the trunk of her car, the image of her barren apartment flashed before her eyes. _Our home, it's our home now._ Elsa reminded herself as Anna gleefully rushed out the front door, wrapping Elsa up in a tight, calming embrace.

By nightfall the pair were sweaty, and looking a little worse for wear, but Elsa was mostly moved in at this point. Every night she had moved more and more non-essential items over to Anna's and gone back to her apartment for the night, so only a few outfits remained in her own apartment, just the very barest of bones to survive the night. That small accomplishment had been taken advantage of by Anna, who eagerly ordered in for their dinner rather than forcing either of them to cook.

"Why are you on the floor?" Anna questioned, plopping into her recliner with a remote in one hand and a glass of water in the other, looking very much at ease.

"I don't want to get sweat all over your furniture! In case you hadn't noticed we're both disgusting from all that moving."

" _Our_ furniture." Anna corrected in dulcet tones, waggling a finger at her before turning the television on to some sort of crime show. "Besides, it's going to be a while so you might want to sit somewhere more accommodating to your butt."

Elsa began pulling at the tape holding together the last remaining box, breaking it down to keep her mind occupied as the sounds of police sirens came through the television speakers. There wasn't any real reason for her to be uneasy about this move, particularly when Anna was so at ease with the situation, and yet here she was flattening out a box to keep herself from having to think too hard about it.

Anna looked so peaceful, splayed out in the recliner and staring at the television with the most vague expression of interest. The slight flush from their earlier exertion that had colored her cheeks was finally beginning to fade, pulling back and revealing the freckles that it had helped camouflage. Elsa couldn't help but smile at the sight, and the fact that being with Anna this way could very well be her future until one of them was no more. She felt lucky, truly, but she had felt this way once before already.

But even as doubts tried to flare up again in her anxious mind, merely watching Anna sit so comfortably was enough to shake off the negativity. This was home now. Not just the walls and the rooms, no, but Anna. She and Anna together made this place home, and for that Elsa was more thankful than she had ever been. This was a fresh start, and one unlike any other she had experienced before.

"Els? You okay? Did you get too hot? Want some of my water?"

As Elsa had gone off into a daze thinking happy thoughts about her new home, Anna had leaned forward in her recliner with an adorably concerned expression on her face. A jolt of excitement shot through Elsa as it dawned on her once again just how much Anna must love her.

"I'm wonderful, Anna. Just wonderful."

"Oh no, you must be delirious from being so tired. Come on, get on the couch and rest. I'll get a cool rag for your face and-"

Anna had gotten to her feet and begun attempting to usher Elsa to the couch when Elsa began laughing so hard that she nearly began crying, "Anna, I mean it, I am perfectly fine. In fact, I haven't felt this good in a long, long time. I'm just happy to be here with you."

She seemed confused at first, but Anna took a few steps back and sheepishly smiled at Elsa, fidgeting nervously with the hem of her pants. It was clear that she had been caught off guard and, while she was certainly much less timid now than she was when they had first begun dating, she was still just as adorable. "Well I'm happy to be here with you, too. Home is a great place to be, especially now that it means I get to be here with you."

Elsa smiled warmly and made a sound of agreement, but didn't say anything more. Her mind was too busy pondering on the word 'home' and how the meaning had changed for her over the years. For too long it was somewhere that she was forced to be alone, somewhere that her fears and doubts had every opportunity to overtake her. Now, however, home was such a positive thing.

Home was Anna and the smell of the fruit scented candles that she was so fond of. Home was the feeling of Anna's arms brushing up against her own as they stood alongside one another and chopped vegetables for dinner, and the sound of dishes clanking together in the sink as they cleaned up after. Home was Elsa and Anna together, and nothing could make Elsa happier than knowing that fact in the deepest parts of her heart.

XXXXXXXX

Their routine together seemed to come so easily to Elsa, but for Anna things were more difficult than she imagined they would be. Elsa had lived with someone else so she knew the ins and outs of cohabitation, but Anna had to constantly remind herself of that fact when she struggled to keep up with Elsa's seemingly effortless cleaning regimen. _This is only easy for her because she has experience. I'm not a terrible human being, I just haven't learned how to live with her yet._

It was taking some time, and quite a bit of effort, but Anna was adapting. It was only a few weeks after Elsa's official move in when Anna found that cleaning up after herself in a timely fashion wasn't as hard as she had thought, she had even begun purposefully putting her clothes in a hamper rather than only utilizing it when guests were coming. A few months ago Anna would have scoffed at the idea that she would be doing anything even remotely similar. There was one area where Anna struggled, however, and that was waking up early enough to have breakfast with Elsa each morning.

Anna had known from the nights they had spent together previously that Elsa was an early riser, and that she almost always made breakfast for them. Part of Anna had expected this to stop, or at least become less frequent when they moved in together, but she was quite wrong. Every morning Elsa had breakfast either on the table or packed in a doggy bag for Anna to bring to work, it was astounding how she managed to do it so frequently and with such little effort – it was almost enough to make Anna sick how productive Elsa could be so painfully early in the morning.

This morning was just like any other, the scent of breakfast had roused Anna far earlier than her alarm could have hoped to wake her. Groaning, she rolled out of bed. Her hair was a giant mess from their romp the night before, and she dragged her feet all the way to the kitchen, but still Anna managed to make it out of her room and head into the kitchen.

"You know, you don't have to always do this. I can just take a snack cake or something." Anna stretched, yawning loudly as she rubbed sleep from her eyes.

Elsa froze, turning slowly to look at Anna with the most incredulous look on her face. "Are...are you saying you think a snack cake is equivalent to breakfast, or that you would prefer one to what I make?"

"Now you know that's not what I mean. I just, how can you possibly be so chipper and productive this early? The sun is barely up and you've already done all of _this_?"

Anna gestured dramatically to the bowl of mixed fruit cut into perfect little cubes, then to the stack of chocolate stuffed crepes, then just gestured at the kitchen in general to get her point across. It was painful to watch Elsa roll her eyes and turn back to her work, obviously not amused by Anna's sleepy antics this morning, but what could Anna do?

"Really, Anna, it's nothing. I make breakfast in the morning anyway, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't cook for you, too?"

"But you're up so _early_. Aren't you miserable?"

This seemed to be Elsa's tipping point, for she set down what she was working on and turned to Anna. Anna's heart picked up its pace as Elsa cupped her face in her hands and pressed their foreheads together. "The hour isn't relevant. I want to make sure you're getting something that's _actually_ got some nutrients in your body. You can't live the 'bachelor' life forever."

And as Anna stood there, Elsa's warm hands caressing her cheeks and their heads gently pressed together, she came to a realization. This woman was more than anyone she could have ever expected to come across, let alone to date. Anna's heart swelled in her chest and her eyes stung as though she might cry, but no tears came. Instead she shook Elsa's hands from her face and hugged her tightly, burying her face in Elsa's shoulder and breathing her in.

The scent was familiar, a gently floral perfume that Elsa had taken to wearing since they moved in together, mixed with the minty fresh smell of the lingering mouthwash that Elsa had no doubt used before bothering to come into the kitchen. This smell, this feeling of holding Elsa, this was home.

"I love you." Anna whispered the words without a second thought, and for her words received a short lived tightening of their embrace.

"I love you too, sunshine. Now go get ready, if we're lucky you'll actually have time to sit down with me this morning."

For the first time in forever Anna found herself almost running to the shower, thoughts of the simple breakfast with Elsa driving her to rush through her morning routine just to spend a few more moments with Elsa before she had to go to work. _Maybe I could get used to being a morning person after all._

XXXXXXXX

As snow fell silently outside, Elsa found herself sunk deep into the comfortable couch with a steaming mug of cocoa in her hand. She had been trying for hours to distract herself from the stress of wondering if they would be too snowed in to get to work tomorrow by reading, but all her worries about that had flown right out the door when Anna had finally stumbled out of bed. Her hair stuck up this way and that, as it always did on not-so-early weekend mornings when Anna slept in, and her pajamas were wrinkled in such a way that somehow made her look all the more endearing.

"I see that you've finally decided to grace me with your presence this morning."

The sound of Anna's slippers shuffling against the floor was enough indication for Elsa that Anna was in what she had begun to affectionately refer to as 'zombie mode.' Anna was up and moving, but her cognitive functions weren't quite, well, functional yet. Elsa smiled over her mug as she took a sip of cocoa, watching intently as Anna slowly tottered to the couch and began to layer blankets around herself in a cocoon before taking a seat on the far end of the couch with Elsa.

"There's cocoa in the kitchen, I made it in the crock pot to keep it nice and warm until you got up. It's really coming down out there, I'm not sure either of us will be in to work tomorrow unless some miraculous heat wave comes through and dries up all the snow and ice."

Anna still remained relatively silent, but Elsa heard a small sound of what she thought might be agreement from beneath the multiple layers of blankets. On a normal day this might be frustrating, try as Anna might she was just _not_ a morning person, but today was simply a day that they could spend together so there was no need for her to do anything but exist. Even staring at Anna through all those blankets Elsa still felt the warmth of her love for everything Anna was in her heart.

Elsa quietly rose from the couch and went to the kitchen to grab Anna's favorite holiday mug, a fat bottomed mug that resembled a snowman. It was a pain to clean, given its odd shape, but Elsa was more than happy to take care of it since this simple thing made Anna so happy. Elsa carefully filled it with cocoa, floating three fat marshmallows on top before bringing it back to Anna.

"Cocoa?" Anna asked, clearly a little more awake now that she was being offered something warm, sweet, and chocolate. "Why are we having cocoa?"

The look of half-sleepy confusion on Anna's face made Elsa's heart leap. Elsa smiled happily and simply gestured to the window behind Anna. The sight of the snow seemed to instantly awaken Anna, for she removed her cocoon and rose to her feet, excitedly grinning as she stared out the window. Anna was very much the child at heart when it came to snow, Elsa had found, and Elsa was more than happy to indulge her childish side if that meant that Anna would be this happy.

"Now, what would you like to do first, hm? Sledding? Snowball fight?" Elsa paused, pretending to think on another option, though she already knew what she was going to say. Just as she opened her mouth to get the word out, Anna whipped around and nearly spilled her cocoa.

"Snowman!"

Elsa couldn't help but chuckle, Anna could very well have been the star in an advertisement about being excited for the holidays this morning and nothing in the world could have pleased Elsa more. "I think we might want to wait until the snow stops for that, wouldn't want him to get buried in the snow right?"

"Fine." Anna whined, poking her lower lip out as far as she could.

But despite her feigned sadness, Elsa had never seen Anna move so fast this early in the morning. Hardly five minutes passed and Anna had managed to not only dig out a sled, but also get out of her pajamas and into her winter gear. How she had managed to do so that quickly Elsa would never know, but she followed suite and got herself prepared for their morning in the snow.

The wind was gentle and the streets empty as the snow fell around them, there wasn't anyone to disturb or interrupt their morning alone together. With each step they took their feet pressed the snow down and made little crunching sounds, the sound familiar and comforting to both women. Their breaths came out in tiny puffs of mist, like dragons venting smoke, as they exerted themselves scaling a nearby hill. Elsa felt a strange, but happy, feeling in her stomach as she realized that they were blessed this morning with their very own crystallized wonderland.

"Well, are you ready?" Elsa puffed as Anna got the sled set up at the top of the hill, smiling as she watched Anna situate herself.

"What do you mean am _I_ ready? Aren't you coming with me?"

Elsa's immediate thought was about the danger that could be posed by both of them barreling down the hill at the same time, but her logic was outweighed by the exaggerated pout on Anna's face. The longer they lived together, the weaker Elsa was against the powerful expression. "Of course I am."

And so, heart pounding nervously in her chest, Elsa carefully began mounting Anna's sled. The first few moments were awkward as she tried to situate herself, but before she knew it her shuffling had nudged them just far enough forward to start them sliding down the hill. Elsa cursed, gripping Anna tightly. Anna giggled gleefully while the pair careened down the snowy hill, clearly not as perturbed by their sudden start down the hill as Elsa was. When they finally slowed and came to a stop, snow shot out from beneath the sled with a soft 'woosh.'

Anna, cheeks pink either from the chill of the wind or from her own laughing, stood immediately, "Again, again!"

By the end of their fifth ride down they had worn a few deep ruts in the hill and both were red in the face from their exertion, and their enjoyment. As they came to a stop for the final time Elsa leaned sideways and fell off the sled, landing face up in the snow and working her arms up and down and her legs opened and closed to make a snow angel.

"Aren't you freezing? You'll catch a cold!"

"I'll be fine, I can't even feel it!" Elsa teased, rising from the crooked imprint of a snow 'angel,' if it could be called that. "Looks like I managed to make something a little more abstract..." Her head tilted as she stared down at her creation and laughed as she realized just how silly it looked.

"I'm hungry. Is there food?"

Anna voiced her need so suddenly that it took Elsa off guard, but she had been prepared nonetheless. "Isn't there always food, my love? I have a breakfast bake all set up and ready for us, we just have to pop it in the oven."

Elsa turned around on her heels before Anna, dragging the sled behind her as she went. A sudden wooshing sound grew louder behind her, then she felt the sting of pain in her shoulder and the realization hit her – Anna's feigned hunger had been nothing more than a clever a ruse to give her an advantage in a snowball fight!

Immediately Elsa dropped to her knees and pressed the sled into the snow to act as a protective shield while she stocked up on ammo for the already raging battle. All the while Elsa pressed snow into tightly packed balls Anna was cackling like a lunatic as she pelted one, two, and three more snowballs in Elsa's direction, each striking the sled or whirring right past Elsa's head.

"You're a terrible _shot_!" Elsa shouted, grunting the last word as she lobbed a hard packed snowball in Anna's direction. She giggled from the safety of her shelter as Anna not-so-gracefully dodged the snowball, flailing her arms in a windmill pattern as she nearly fell over in her attempt to not be struck.

"You're no prize winner either, are you?" Anna shot back, tossing two more snowballs in Elsa's direction.

Elsa was quick to retaliate, for while Anna was trying to simultaneously arm herself and build a wall to fend off Elsa's shots, Elsa had been stocking up on snowballs. Her revenge was merciless, snowball after snowball flew through the air, more than half striking their intended target. It wasn't until Anna ducked to grab another snowball of her own after Elsa had already launched one in her direction that things took a turn from playful to serious.

Elsa saw the whole thing in slow motion, the snowball flying from her hand and toward Anna's midsection, Anna bending forward to arm herself against Elsa's attack, and the sickening 'slosh' of the snowball striking Anna's forehead and knocking her to the ground. In an instant Elsa was on her feet, racing toward Anna and dropping to her knees at Anna's side.

"Anna? Anna are you okay?" Elsa's eyes caught sight of a small cut on Anna's forehead glistening with pink where blood was mingling with leftover snow from the attack and her stomach turned.

"M'fine." Anna grunted, sitting up and shaking Elsa of as Elsa tried to wipe away the snow. Elsa was forced to watch as Anna slowly pulled off her glove and dabbed at her forehead, whining as she realized that she really was injured.

"Anna I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to, you just bent over and...let's get you inside so I can take care of that cut."

After much protest and declarations of being 'fine' Anna was finally out of her wet, snow covered clothes and laid up on the couch, a gauze pad covering the small wound on her forehead. "You don't have to do this you know..."

"Please don't start with me again Anna, you need to stay on the couch and get some rest. Breakfast is the _least_ that I can do after all this."

"I keep telling you, you didn't do anything wrong!"

"Anna I _hurt_ you" Elsa insisted, leaning forward from the adjacent recliner and furrowing her brows in concern, "I realize it was an accident but it doesn't mean that I feel any less bad about it."

"It's bound to happen, besides this means if I accidentally hurt you in the future I get a pass!"

XXXXXXXX

Anna stifled a yawn as best as she could, trying not to alert her co-workers to the fact that she was bored out of her mind during their sales meeting. It was always the same with these things 'you've done well, but you have to do better still.' As if the higher ups weren't making enough money off of their workers already, they were always pushing the envelope.

"-and that's why we are happy to announce that at this year's Holiday Party the prizes will be larger and the gathering more extravagant. We have rented out _all_ of Crystal Hill for that evening so I'm sure all of you understand that it will be quite the gathering. I expect all of our senior employees to be there, and be sure to bring a date. No one likes to see people alone at these things, it's the holidays after all! That will conclude our meeting, so please go ahead and return to your desks."

 _Oh joy_. Anna thought wryly, _I wonder if they'd rather me be alone or be there with my girlfriend_?

"Well Miss Anna, you won't be able to hide that boyfriend of yours much longer, hm?"

As always Gothel had appeared from seemingly nowhere, but Anna hadn't jumped this time. "I suppose not."

"Oh Anna, you should be more open with us. We're your work family after all."

"Yeah, there wouldn't be something wrong with him, would there?"

Judy and Nick always came in tow when Gothel was around these days, it was almost as if they comprised her shadow. Anna feigned a smile at her co-workers, mentally resisting the urge to just out herself right here. At least at a holiday party there was little and less chance that she would be immediately reprimanded, if she were reprimanded at all.

"Absolutely not. You'll all get what you're after once we're at the party, okay?"

Anna growled in frustration, the first such display in quite some time at her place of employment, and stormed off to her desk to stew. No matter how many times she reasoned through the situation, she still stressed over it. No one had ever openly been gay in her office, so there was not even any precedent for her to be concerned, and yet she was.

How would her employment be affected by her coming out? Should she even bother mentioning the party to Elsa, or just tell her she would have to work late that day and take the verbal lashing from not bringing a date? No, that wouldn't work. _I'll just have to hope this place is more tolerant than I think it is._

After work Anna dragged her feet more than she had in...well, ever. As much as she despised the idea of lingering at work any longer than necessary, the inevitable and no doubt excited 'yes' she would receive from Elsa troubled her more than enough to make her move slowly than normal. But the inevitable was just that: inevitable. So, when Anna arrived home she worked it into the conversation as quickly as possible to rip off the proverbial bandage.

"So, uh. My office is having a holiday type party soon." Anna watched Elsa continue her chopping just as fast as ever, only offering a small humming sound in response. "I've been told that as a senior employee they'll be requiring me to attend...and that I need to bring a date."

"Oh? Is that so? That's not unusual for essential employees though, is it."

Anna stopped kneading the ball of dough on the counter before her for a moment, glancing at a seemingly unfazed Elsa with a look of confusion on her face. She had expected at least some kind of excitement, but this lack of interest was almost unheard of. "Y-yeah. So do you want to...?"

The question hung in the air, though it still seemed to have no effect on a more stoic than usual Elsa. It took a moment before she even reacted, only offering Anna a small roll of her shoulders before finally asking, "Are you sure that's wise?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're not out at work yet...are you? Wouldn't it be a little inappropriate if you showed up with, well, me?"

"Els, it's..." But what it was Anna couldn't say right away. It wasn't something that she could say was 'okay,' because that would be validating any opinion that it might be wrong for them to show up together, but still she wanted to reassure Elsa that of _course_ it would be okay if they showed up together. "I'm just going to come out there. What better way than to show up with a gorgeous woman on my arm? They'll be so busy being jealous that they won't even care that I'm gay."

It wasn't necessarily a lie, but for some reason Anna's stomach sank as Elsa's face lit up. It was clear that Elsa was more than happy to join Anna, but Anna was still uneasy with the idea of coming out to not just her co-workers but her _employers_ so suddenly. Surely it wouldn't be that surprising to them, after all Anna was never around any men and was constantly avoiding questions about a 'boyfriend' all while receiving gifts from Elsa at work...

"-right Anna?"

"Hm? I'm sorry, I spaced out for a second. What were you saying, love?"

"Dress code? I was saying that I assumed it was business casual, but since I don't typically attend..."

"Oh, yes, you're right. Business casual. That shouldn't be a problem for you, you always look majestic in anything you wear, really."

"Majestic?" Elsa laughed, bumping Anna's hip gently with her own, "That's an odd word choice, but I'll take it. I'm kind of excited about this, I'll get to meet all these strange characters you tell me about all the time! Don't worry, I promise not to embarrass you too much."

Elsa winked and Anna's worry melted away for the time being, it wouldn't do either of them any good for Anna to continue to stress over something that wasn't happening immediately. Right now she would just have to squash the fear down and enjoy the time that she had with Elsa, sure to be awkward parties would always take a back seat to their happiness together.

 **a/n: Hello all, I'm not dead but I _have_ been sick. I apologize for the lateness of this chapter, but hopefully in spite of the approaching holidays I'll be able to have the next chapter up in a few weeks. Thanks for sticking with me! **


	21. Promise

Chapter Twenty One: Promise

The scenery on this very special night was absolutely perfect, Elsa couldn't have asked for more. Snow glistened prettily in the moonlight and twinkling lights hung from every light post and home, making the view from the cab extra festive in light of the approaching holiday season. In the center of the seat Elsa's hand lay with Anna's, their fingers intertwined as they stared out their respective windows. The night was beginning as perfectly as it possibly could, almost like a dream.

"You know, I imagine your co-workers won't mind so much as you think they might."

Anna's head tilted ever so slightly toward Elsa, though she maintained most of her gaze out the window of the cab as if she were somehow disinterested in the topic of conversation. "What do you mean?"

"I just" Elsa tugged her hand slightly to loosen Anna's now tightened grip on it, but continued to hold her hand regardless of the pressure, "I think that you're stressing out before it's necessary. That's all, my love."

Anna huffed, shaking her head all the while, but Elsa could see the small smile tugging at the corner of Anna's lips in her reflection on the glass. It would be an interesting night, of that there was no doubt, but perhaps her comforting words might ease Anna's mind just for a short while and allow her to truly enjoy the scenery.

As the cab rolled up to the entrance of Crystal Hill Elsa could feel Anna's nervous eyes on her. And so, like any good girlfriend, Elsa squeezed Anna's hand gently and gave her a knowing look before settling the tab with the driver. Elsa was the first out of the car, heels clicking on the pavement as she rounded the cab and opened Anna's door. Though Elsa had already laid eyes on Anna before they left for the evening, the image of her gingerly stepping out of the cab and taking Elsa's hand to stabilize herself was almost too much.

"You look quite lovely." Elsa complimented quietly, smiling as she let her hand linger on Anna's for a moment longer before allowing it to fall to her side.

"You said that earlier, you know."

"I did. I meant it then and I mean it now, so I'm happy to say it again."

"Thankfully you look _far_ better tonight, people will be much more focused on you and your suit than me and my dress."

Elsa grinned, but said nothing. Anna had all but insisted she wear this outfit tonight, even tying Elsa's tie for her despite the fact that Elsa knew very well how to do it on her own. As much as Anna protested and whined about this evening, below the surface Elsa could sense not just the anxiety, but the excitement of coming out. The knowledge that soon she would no longer have to duck questions or avoid mentioning Elsa, that soon she could openly mention her girlfriend and their happy little life together. Seeing that joy was more than enough to make Elsa relent to any requests that Anna voiced, even if they did make her a little uncomfortable.

"Shall we, my love?" Elsa asked, offering her arm for Anna to take before tilting her head, "Or would you rather me carry you in my arms so that they all know for certain that we are a couple?"

For the first time that evening Anna laughed, the sound bright and warm, as she took Elsa's arm and allowed herself to be led inside. It seemed they were a little late to the party, despite arriving on time. The lobby was nearly empty as they checked in and faced their first few sets of eyes. These people may not have known Anna well, for they seemed to simply glance at the pair of them with little to no regard as they checked Anna's name off their list. Perhaps the company had employed outside workers to man the check in booths for the evening?

Elsa shook the thought as Anna gripped her arm a little tighter while they made their way to the double doors that concealed the room in which the party was taking place. The way Anna had stressed how important their entrance would be Elsa would have thought all eyes would have been on the door awaiting their arrival, and yet as the doors closed behind them it almost seemed as if their entrance had gone unnoticed. Almost.

"Well, well! If it isn't Anna, and with a date no less!"

The young man was about Elsa's height with the strangest red hair that she had ever seen. He looked a little under dressed, if Elsa were being honest, but he seemed to know Anna well enough for Elsa to be friendly, at the very least.

"And who might this charming devil be?"

Before Anna could answer, the man's hand was extended and reaching for Elsa's, "Name's Nick, Nick Wilde. If I might say, you are positively gorgeous. How did our little Annie convince someone like you to come to this thing with her?"

"Annie?" Elsa stifled a small giggle, "I quite like that! Maybe I'll start calling her Annie too."

"You're not pestering people are you Nick? We talked about-" The woman paused when she came upon the scene, Nick's hand wrapped around Elsa's and Anna standing slightly to the side and looking altogether displeased with the unraveling situation. It seemed as if the wheels this woman's her head were turning, for a moment later she seemed to have put it all together. The woman smiled, a goofy, albeit pleasant grin. "W-well, I don't believe we've met. I'm Judy."

Elsa politely let go of Nick's hand and reached for Judy's, placing a gentle kiss on the back of it before releasing it again. "It's a pleasure to meet both of you, it truly is. My name is Elsa."

Judy flushed and Nick looked taken aback, but both smiled at Elsa nonetheless. "The pleasure is ours, I assure you. I don't meant to be forward but...you wouldn't happen to be the mysterious 'E' that Anna's been so secretive about, would you?"

Anna flushed at Judy's inquiry, but Elsa kept quiet to allow Anna the opportunity to speak the words herself. "Elsa is my" The nervousness in the pause was palpable, and for a moment Elsa wondered whether or not Anna would follow through. But in typical fashion, Anna finished what she started. "She's my girlfriend."

Judy's hands shot up to cover a clear smile on her face and Elsa wondered if she saw a glimmer of tears in her eyes. Nick on the other hand sighed exasperatedly, rolling his eyes as he began to dig in the pocket of his pants, eventually producing a twenty dollar bill. "You win this round."

"Wait, you were taking bets?"

"Oh Anna, it's not a bet if I'm absolutely certain I'll come out ahead! I hope you're not offended, but he just wouldn't listen to reason so I had to hit him where it hurts."

"No, no I just. You guys knew? You don't care?"

"Care? Anna of course not, why would we care?"

Elsa could only smile as Anna clearly found herself at a loss for words. Perhaps if Anna wasn't surrounded by co-workers she may have even shed a tear, but for now she seemed to be perfectly content with smiling goofily and making polite conversation with these two. With this one interaction, this one instance of immediate acceptance with no questions, Elsa prayed that Anna would gain the courage to continue her journey from here. After all, life from here on would be a constant barrage of coming out, so it would be best if Anna enjoyed her first experience.

And Anna would continue to be pleasantly surprised through the night, each of her coworkers approached in turn – some made positive commentary and others made no comment at all, but instead simply interacted normally with the pair. After each encounter, Anna would look a little flustered and breathe a shaky sigh while smiling up at Elsa. It was quite endearing, it its own way, and Elsa couldn't help but smile in return. Overall, the night seemed to be going well. Until, that is, a rather rotund man with impressive eyebrows and a gaunt, older woman with wild hair spotted the pair across the room and began to close the gap.

XXXXXXXX

It had taken a few conversations before Anna's heart stopped hammering so hard in her chest, before her breaths stopped coming in such quick succession, and before the weight began to lift off of her shoulders. Her feigned smile had become more and more real with each little affirmation that her co-workers not only accepted her, but also seemed to support her as well! The fears and doubts she had been harboring for what felt like eternity were dissipating, and that feeling couldn't have been any more pleasant.

But not all good things could last, she soon realized. Anna responded to a gentle tug on her sleeve by turning quickly around and coming face to face with not only her boss, but Gothel as well standing side by side. The pair made for quite the intimidating sight to a still raw and somewhat emotional Anna, to say the least.

"Anna dear, I'm surprised to see you without your boyfriend on your arm! You've brought a surrogate though, I see. How good of you to join us tonight, and what an interesting choice of attire for your guest."

Anna glanced in Elsa's direction, her eyes had been drawn that way by the visible twitch of Elsa's head in Gothel's direction. It couldn't have been more clear that Gothel was rubbing Elsa the wrong way, but Elsa was as courteous as Anna had ever seen her in spite of that fact. Elsa reached her hand out, greeting each of the pair in turn and smiling warmly, banishing all traces of her annoyance with the situation.

"Miss Greene, I am thrilled to see you here. Very good of you to show up, and you followed my instructions and brought someone along! We did intend for you to bring a _date_ but this will do just fine."

"Elsa _is_ my date."

Anna's words were quiet and nearly strangled as they came out, and she was unable to meet either of their eyes. Unlike before the words didn't flow quite as well as she would have liked them, no, but then at least one of these people had the power to end her employment. How could this time not be different?

"What's that? I didn't quite catch what you said there."

"Mr. Big, Elsa is my date."

The only way that Anna could have made it more clear would have been to throw herself into Elsa's arms and passionately kiss her in front of the two, but judging by the expression on their faces she wouldn't have to go quite that far this evening.

Of the two Gothel looked far more uncomfortable, she had almost immediately begun to fan herself with her clutch wallet. "My, Anna, I wouldn't have thought that you would be a...my, this is quite disappointing."

Anna had to throw her arm out in front of Elsa, who had immediately taken a step towards Gothel as though she were prepared to throw down then and there no questions asked. But before Anna could even begin to verbalize an argument, chubby Mr. Big turned to look at Gothel with a surprisingly disgusted look on his face.

"Do you really feel that way, Gothel?" Mr. Big adjusted his drink so that it was in his non-dominant hand as he lay his dominant hand over his large stomach, regarding Gothel in what Anna felt must have been an excruciatingly painful way.

"Of course I do, she's certainly good looking enough to get herself a man and yet she's brought this woman here to masquerade her as a date? It's distasteful, to say the very least."

Mr. Big stepped back, his hand still on his stomach as if it were stabilizing him as he stood there staring in awe at Gothel. "I never would have guessed you were such a bigot. High maintenance, certainly, but a bigot? That's what's truly distasteful. What a shame. Anna, if you and er, Elsa did you say? Yes, if you and Elsa would accompany me back to my table I would be glad to have your company."

Anna's jaw was nearly on the floor as she watched Gothel's expression change from judgmental to smug, and then immediately to shock. Gothel scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest before muttering under her breath and excusing herself from their presence. Anna could hardly believe it, all of her concerns and worries and hiding had been for nothing. She was out, Elsa was known to everyone and no one had any ill wishes for them. Well, no one important anyway.

The rest of the night was a blur, dancing and smiling and laughing in public like she hadn't in who knows how long. It no longer mattered that she was a lesbian, that weight that had taken so long to build was now gone like a wisp of smoke. As Elsa twirled her slowly across the floor Anna could do nothing but smile lovingly up at her, her heart full to bursting with love and happiness.

XXXXXXXX

Elsa had woken up too early that morning, Anna knew that much, but it wasn't until she had managed to draw herself out of her bed that she realized Elsa had also uncharacteristically left with no word to Anna at all. Anna groaned as she rubbed at her eyes, opening the refrigerator and managing a small smile at the tupperware with a sticky note reading 'For My Love' on it. Even when Elsa left too early this morning she had still given so much thought to Anna, and this morning an overly sensitive Anna felt the swell of love in her chest.

As she very slowly managed to shake off her sleepy stupor with each bite of her breakfast Anna's mind began to wander. _Where could Elsa have gone this early?_ It was hardly nine, surely even early bird Elsa wouldn't have scheduled any classes that early...

Anna tapped a sweet little message to Elsa out on her phone and sighed. _Perhaps I'm being greedy_ she thought, washing her dishes and setting them up on their drying rack. _After all she's here all the time, when does she have time for herself?_

Anna shrugged the thought, instead choosing to focus on something that had been occupying her mind more and more often as of late: Elsa's impending birthday. They hadn't been together for too terribly long, but Anna had already decided that she wanted to do something special for Elsa on this birthday. She had gone through a few ideas, taking her out to an over the top meal, giving her free reign to decide to do anything they would like to that day, but none of those seemed quite as brilliant a plan as throwing her a surprise party.

Anna herself had not had a surprise party, at least not one that she could remember, but from what she could gather the idea seemed a simple enough one to pull off. After all, how hard could it be to decorate and get a bunch of Elsa's friends in one place at one time? It seemed an easy task, until she began her attempts at compiling a guest list.

Elsa didn't have many friends, it seemed. Why Anna had no idea, the woman was charming, funny, altogether a perfect package, and yet Anna could scarcely name two or three people that Elsa might really, truly want present for her birthday. Even consulting with Esmeralda seemed to yield no real results, which was a shocking realization in itself.

To Anna, who had always seemed to attract friends even when she wasn't entirely sure that she wanted them, this seemed a little sad. How could someone so wonderful be lacking in supportive friends? But it was no matter, for Anna knew that Elsa had made quite a few mutual friends through her, so the guest list would end up full one way or another and Elsa would be surrounded by people that cared about her.

Anna spent the morning tapping out messages to Esmeralda and, more surprisingly, to Belle. At first she had been hesitant to work with Belle on anything, after all she was still somewhat of a romantic rival wasn't she? But after a little wheedling Belle had impressed her with some brilliant themes and party game ideas, so she had made herself essential to the party planning process.

Obviously Anna had planned on making the cake, but the design seemed to elude her. Elsa was an enigma even now that they lived together, it was strange to think on the fact that while Anna knew so much about her that there was still so much left to learn. Elsa liked pale blues and purples, she loved winter, or so Anna surmised from her happier than normal demeanor in the past month or so, so Anna had sketched a few designs with sugar ice and snowflakes for decoration.

No collection of lines seemed good enough for her, at least not yet. A little more sparkle here and there, more skill and technique, some miraculous culmination of perfect notions would be the only acceptable option for Anna. Everything needed to be perfect for Elsa's surprise party, absolutely everything. If Anna was going to spring a party on Elsa, the very least that she could be expected to do would be to ensure that it was so stunning that it would blow her away. Anna wanted nothing more than to see the look of sheer adoration as the feeling of so much love washed over Elsa.

But as Anna continued her planning a low rumble rose from her stomach, signaling that lunch time would soon be here. _Elsa still isn't here and it's lunch time?_ It was odd, to say the least, but rather than panic Anna sent a few more messages expressing her love for Elsa and how much she missed her this morning. What else could she be expected to do?

It wouldn't be right to demand that Elsa tell her everywhere she went, and Anna wouldn't even want that in truth. Just a little notice when she would be left to her own devices, particularly with Elsa's birthday so quickly approaching. The time could be put to more use if Anna knew she'd be alone for a set period of time, after all. Still, she couldn't help the worry that had begun to bloom in her belly. Elsa had been gone quite a long time, and it was the first time that this had happened without some real notice...

XXXXXXXX

Elsa's feet moved confidently through the well-worn path of the graveyard, little rays of early morning sunlight tinting her surroundings in a beautiful and warm glow of color. It was a route she had taken so many times before that she might have been able to traverse it in total darkness if she had to. She made her way past the small, flush gravestones and deeper into the graveyard where more ornate upright stones marked the resting places of people she never knew, until finally she came upon the familiar marble mausoleum.

The key to the over sized metal door was surprisingly small in comparison to others Elsa had held in her hand, but she supposed that was something to do with her parents wishes. It fit all the same into the seemingly too big lock and Elsa heard the familiar sound of the mechanism unlocking. The bronze door creaked slightly, as it always did, but in the still, early morning air the sound felt intrusively loud. Elsa quickly entered the building and closed the door behind her with a thud that echoed through the chamber. Her chest felt heavy as she breathed quiet, quick breaths and raised her eyes to look upon the markers on the wall.

"Hello again mom, dad." Elsa hesitated before gingerly reaching out and placing her hand on the cold stone between the markers. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it? I thought since my birthday was coming up you might appreciate a visit. I...I feel ashamed for not seeing you as often and yet I am happy now, so much happier than I was the last time I talked to you both. Why? Well, that's a long story.

See, I met someone. Someone kind, and sweet, and too generous for her own good. You would love her, honestly you would. I know that I do. We've been living together. I know, it seems very soon, too soon, but there's something about her that just makes it feel right. Sometimes I wonder what I might do without her."

Elsa took a step back from the wall and crossed her arms over her midsection as though she were attempting to hug herself. Her words had become shaky as she tried to explain her situation and her eyes burned with the familiar sting of tears trying to form at the back of her eyes, it was harder and harder to come here each time she did it. She backed away until her back hit the opposite wall and she slid down, wrapping her arms around her knees as she snuffled and rubbed her eyes with her sleeves.

"Anna is her name. Anna Greene. I met her parents a while ago, quite by accident. That's a funny story too, see, they just sort of showed up while we were on a date and we pretended she was hiring me to paint a wall of her house. Silly, isn't it? And they believed it too, hardly asked any questions about it at all, save to see if Anna could really afford my work. Don't worry, we came clean later that night. You know me, I can't lie for too long, especially not about something as serious as that.

How did they react? Oh, well, I was fearful at first they might not accept her but surprisingly enough they were more than happy to take me into their family. Her father says that he knew you once, perhaps not well but he knew you all the same. It's funny how small my world seems to be, especially when the world is truly so vast.

I, well, I had a reason for coming here today other than just to visit. W-what I mean is that there's something important I wanted to say out loud. Obviously I wanted to tell you about Anna, but that's not all there is to it. I love her, I love her with everything that I am. My mind is screaming at me that things are moving too quickly, that I'm only going to end up getting hurt again but...then I think about you two.

As many times as I've tried to convince myself that I'm crazy, that somehow I've tricked myself into feeling this strongly for her, my mind turns to you. You taught me so much about love when I was young, taught me that the world will see me in so many different ways and try to put me into a box, but that no matter what was said or done that I mustn't let myself forget how I feel. But even as I imagine our future together I can't help but wonder...will it be the same for us as it was for the two of you?

The fire has set in so quickly in my heart, I fear that if I can't gain some purchase on it then it may run rampant and destroy me and yet...I crave it. I crave the way that she makes me feel, so free and happy and full of love that I might burst. But that's how you've always told me that things were with you, quick to find and keep one another, to forsake all others in the name of your love. I hope that things can be like that for Anna and I. I guess...I guess what I came here to say is that I w-want to spend the rest of my life with her."

As always, the only response that Elsa would receive was the brief echo of her own voice inside the mausoleum. They were there, she supposed, but if they weren't she would never know as there was never any sign that she had seen or felt, but it was a comforting thing to do nonetheless. Even without a response the mere act of speaking to her parents was enough to lift the looming weight on her shoulders, at least for the time being.

Elsa held her face in her hands as the realization of all that she had said washed over her. She had told them everything, from the menial details of her life to something that she hadn't even voiced aloud to herself yet – her desire to be with Anna until Anna would have her no more. It was an idea powerful enough to cause her to be speechless. She loved Anna, loved her more than she could ever have imagined she might so soon in their relationship.

Time passed her without care, by the time she had shaken off the shock and managed to exit the mausoleum the sun was high enough in the sky to nearly blind her. With a soft 'thud' the bronze door closed behind her and her phone began buzzing fervently, no doubt with messages from Anna. Sure enough, there were plenty of messages on her phone, each one Anna had sent seemed to grow more insistent, vocalizing her love and how much she missed Elsa.

It was sweet and more than enough of a confirmation that all of her gushing to her parents had been well warranted. That her newly forming plan for the very near future would be well warranted. With a smile on her face Elsa made her way back through the maze of grave markers, waving at the seemingly ever present, and always smiling, grave digger before getting into her car. She had never been more ready to be home to Anna in all the time they had been together.

 **a/n: I apologize again for the shortness of this chapter, unfortunately I've gone from a stomach bug to a cold-like sickness. Woo winter bugs! With that in mind, as well as the approaching holidays, I will say that the next chapter will no doubt be slightly delayed! It will likely be up around or before the new year. As always, thank you for reading and I can't wait to get back on a regular posting schedule!**


	22. Anything for You

Chapter Twenty Two: Anything for You

Elsa had never laid eyes on such beautiful baubles or brightly gleaming gemstones as those were proudly displayed before her. Certainly she had been in plenty of jewelry stores before but this...this was on a level far surpassing anything she could have even hoped to see. Truth be told this was likely the most elegant building that she had ever set foot in and it was no jewelry store at all. That fact did little to quell the slight unease in her stomach at being so close to what was clearly a fortune's worth of gemstones and jewelry. Elsa rocked on her heels in the most unprofessional of ways as her eyes raked across the pedestals that held portions of the collection, each piece more stunning and no doubt more expensive than the last.

Just looking was far more overwhelming than she could have expected it to be, it was almost as if she were under the scrutinizing gaze of security cameras in a museum and leaning just a tad too far over an exhibit line. Her heart skipped as her eyes grazed over every detail of the diamond before her: the cut was subtle, but not too understated, it was clearly of high quality and set perfectly atop the white gold band with an abstract design engraved around it. She could never hope to afford something so magnificent, but looking was always free so long as she didn't touch anything.

"Ah, I know that look! It's all too familiar to these old eyes, you're in love aren't you?"

"P-pardon?" Elsa stammered, quickly whirling on her heels and clearing her throat as a tall, older gentleman came into view.

"That one always catches the eye, no matter how hard you might try to avoid looking at it you just can't help it."

Elsa's muscles loosened, though when she had originally tensed up she wasn't quite sure. The words had definitely caught her off guard, particularly since she was in an unfamiliar place and had allowed herself to be so inattentive to her surroundings.

"I apologize, I'm afraid that ring has quite a draw. I didn't intend to spend so much time here in your hallway."

"No need to fret, visitors always get caught up in this hall. It's breathtaking, isn't it? My late wife would return to haunt me if I were to ever move her precious display pieces. Alas, they've held up nearly every person who has had the pleasure of walking down these halls. But, I digress. You must be the woman Anna sent."

"That's correct, I'm surprised she managed to call you given how bad her cough was. Unfortunately she has fallen ill and sent me to pick up a package in her stead."

"Ah, the Greenes. Such wonderful people, really. Far too philanthropic for their own good if you ask me, but some of the nicest folks you'll ever come across. Got lucky with that restaurant, they did. How could anyone have expected a place like that to do so well here? Doesn't seem like a high end type of town."

The man had continued to speak, but after a mere moment it had all begun to blend into a low droning sound in Elsa's ears. Boring wasn't the proper word to describe him, he wasn't boring in the least, but his monotonous topics and seeming lack of any desire to actually bring Elsa into the conversation was truly making this task tedious for her. It was far more difficult to be friendly to someone when they simply wouldn't _shut up_ long enough to allow you a word in the conversation.

He prattled on about the Greenes for a while before swapping back to discussing his late wife at length, Elsa worried for half a moment that he might delve into the deeper history of their relationship, but she was spared when he seemed to have finally reached their destination. It wasn't too terribly far from where they had begun, and yet the trip seemed to have taken an eternity.

"Here we are, dear little Anna said that you would be more than happy to take this to her on my behalf. You'll have to take pity on an old man like myself, I don't get around as well as I used to."

"Certainly sir, anything for Anna."

The man paused a moment, seeming to regard Elsa after her last statement. Whether or not he suspected something he did not show, but he did take just a bit longer than she thought necessary to produce the package for her. Elsa was thankful that he hadn't questioned her slip of the tongue, she wasn't sure if Anna was out to him yet and she certainly wouldn't be the one to out her.

The package was smaller than she had thought it might be, perhaps the size of a thick book but a little heavier than it looked. It was obvious that whomever had wrapped it had taken great care to be sure that the brown paper covering the exterior remained crisp and unwrinkled. Elsa was curious, but more than anything she was simply ready to be home with Anna. The poor thing had barely been able to speak without coughing this morning when she had pressed a list of tasks into Elsa's hand with pleading eyes, and who was she to deny Anna?

The older man walked her back down the hallway, past the collection of shimmering jewelry, and finally released her from his incessant droning at the front door where his doorman stood prepared to free her. _If he could get around half as well as he carries on he would be more spry than I am_ Elsa mused. Even as she politely waved and backed away, the gentleman was already attempting to begin another story. If she hadn't continued moving she feared that she would never have managed to escape his conversational grasp!

Once seated in her car Elsa began to really inspect the package, turning it in her hands and listening for any movement within. It seemed entirely silent, and appeared to either be well packed or simply a solid object wrapped in the most impeccable way. Elsa could only shrug as she buckled it into the passenger seat and pulled out her list of other favors that her poor, sickly Anna would need completed today. It would be a long morning, no doubt, but if she were lucky she might be able to get back to Anna before noon.

XXXXXXXX

Anna fretted as she ran for what felt like the millionth time from the kitchen to the window at the front door and back before quickly picking up where she left off with decorating Elsa's birthday cake. She had felt bad lying so blatantly to Elsa this morning, even going to far as to feign being really, truly sick in order to get her out of the house for a few hours while they prepared for the party.

Snow had met up with the others, Meg, Esmeralda, and Belle, and walked them all to Anna's house from a nearby parking lot earlier in the day and now they were all working diligently to make sure that everything would be perfect for the impending celebration. Anna could hardly believe how well the plan was falling into place, it seemed for the moment as if all of her stressing over it had been for naught.

All too soon the guests had filled her home, happily sipping on a chilled punch and munching on little snacks that Belle had prepared specifically for the party. Anna barely had time to put finishing touches on the cake before Esmeralda gave the signal: Elsa had pulled up in the driveway at last. Though the curtains were drawn, Anna rushed to shut off the lights as everyone shuffled around in the dark trying to find a hiding space. The sound of metal scraping against metal as Elsa unlocked the deadbolt was deafening in Anna's nervous ears, her heart was in her throat as she watched the door crack and allow the light from the sun to stream inside.

"Anna, I'm home dear how are you-"

It all happened so quickly Anna could hardly believe it. Elsa flipped the light switch on and Anna could see her blue eyes widen in clear shock as people rose from their hiding places and a cheerful roar rose from their guests, filling the room. "SURPRISE!"

Anna stood planted at the center of it all, waving meekly and smiling as she watched Elsa's cheeks flush with color. She was clearly surprised, so at least that part had gone smoothly. Elsa was smiling so brilliantly, her eyes looking at everyone as they all raised their glasses to her and then carried on with their previously begun discussions, leaving Anna to personally greet Elsa and explain herself.

"It's not quite your birthday," Anna laughed warmly, offering to take the package from Elsa's arms, "but I guess that makes it more of a surprise, huh?"

Elsa's smile faded a little as Anna took the package, something had clearly dawned on her that was putting a damper on things.

"You mean to tell me that you're not sick at all? You were just pretending to be sick to get me out of the house?"

"Surprise?" Anna offered, shrugging her shoulders gently in response. "I feel like the trade off was worth it. You're adorable when you're surprised."

"And to think I was going to go out of my way to get you hot chocolate!" But as Anna's stomach began to sink and the feeling of general unease began to set in, the smile returned to Elsa's face and gave away what she was really feeling about the surprise. "You planned all this for me?"

"With a little help, of course. Snow and Esmeralda were the real MVP's, they helped tremendously with a little bit of everything, I might have lost my mind trying to plan this whole-"

But Anna's words were cut off as Elsa, quite unexpectedly, leaned down and caught Anna up in a tender kiss. As Elsa pulled away she could feel the pressure of Elsa's hand on her shoulder, sending a sensation of warmth through her body greater than anything a mere mug of hot chocolate could have created.

"Thank you, Anna. I love it."

"But you haven't even seen the rest of the house! Or the kitchen!" Anna insisted, looking a little less modest than she intended to, "Or the _cake._ "

She had said the magic word. The soft smile on Elsa's face had become something much more mischievous, more reminiscent of a child preparing to sneak into the kitchen in the dead of night to gorge on candy. "There's cake? You didn't tell me there was cake!"

Anna laughed, shaking her head all the while, "Of course there is, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I threw you a party and didn't make you a cake?"

"You _made_ me a cake?" Elsa took Anna's arm and gave her little choice but to head toward the kitchen, it was either walk or be dragged at this point. "My Anna, if I didn't know any better I would think you might like me or something."

"How gross. I don't like you, not at all."

Elsa stopped walking and looked at Anna, one brow raised and a curious little grin on her lips. "Is that so?"

"It's true. I don't like you." Anna, feeling emboldened by what she was perceiving as having the upper hand in this conversation, allowed time for a dramatic pause before finishing her thought. "I love you."

Rather than having the pleasure of seeing Elsa's face flush, Anna could feel her own cheeks heat and no doubt color under Elsa's intense gaze. For a moment she wondered if Elsa would react at all, but her question was soon answered in the form of Elsa looking to the ground and smiling, "I love you too, Anna."

XXXXXXXX

The cake was, for lack of a better word, spectacular. Never before had Elsa received anything like this. It made a strong, bold statement with it's glossy white coat of frosting. Edible glitter cascaded around the three tiered cake in what looked to be a gust of winter wind, the design peppered with incredibly intricate snowflakes that Elsa could only assume were made out of sugar colored a gentle blue.

Elsa's hands covered her mouth as she approached the thing, her eyes darting over each little detail as she took it all in. Anna had to have been working on this right under her nose, there was no way that she could have finished it all this morning. How had Elsa been so oblivious to the work that Anna had been doing? She felt a pang of guilt, but it was quickly outweighed by her growing sense of gratitude to Anna for all that she had done to set up this party, to make it special for Elsa.

"Anna I don't even know what to say." Elsa managed to force the words from her throat after a long bout of silently staring in awe at the creation before her. "It's...wow!"

"No big deal. I mean, sort of a big deal, but only because it's for you...you do like it, don't you?"

A scoff escaped Elsa as she rounded on Anna in shock, "You're joking right? This has to be the most amazing cake I've ever seen, and you made it just for me so that makes it all the more special."

"Well, I mean, you'll have to share with our guests but, of course."

Elsa couldn't help herself as she threw her arms around Anna's neck, bending slightly at the waist to hold her all the more tightly. "This is the best birthday I've had in a long time, Anna."

Beneath her tight grip she could hear Anna feigning difficulty breathing, but Elsa only hugged her more tightly for a moment before releasing her. Elsa stared down into those familiar teal eyes and bit her lip to hold back a smile as she gazed fondly at Anna, would it be so wrong to profess her intentions here and now?

"Come on, we'll do cake later. Let's socialize so we don't look rude!"

And just like that Elsa had been swept up in Anna's little game. They spoke to people she had met a few times, and they spoke to their good friends. Anna led her here and there, laughing and smiling and chatting, but Elsa only had eyes for Anna. She was seeing things that she had hardly noticed before, the way Anna would play with her braids when she was particularly enthralled with a subject, and the subtle changes in her tone when she was clearly through talking to certain people. Elsa had even noticed a difference in the way that Anna gestured when she spoke to some versus others, it was all so commonplace and yet they seemed like the most important things in the world.

She couldn't explain her sudden attention to detail regarding Anna's mannerisms, the idea that she could possibly be intrigued by them at all was a little silly to her but she indulged herself, after all it was probably nothing more than the air of the party getting to her and bringing her guard down more than it normally would be. But even as the party wound down Elsa couldn't keep her mind, or her eyes, off of Anna. Was it the gratitude for all of Anna's hard work and dedication to making this a great party for Elsa, or was there more to this sudden exercise in attentiveness to detail?

"You don't have to help with this Els, I'll take care of it all. Why don't you take another piece of cake and relax on the couch?"

"You really are trying to spoil me, aren't you?"

"It's not as if you don't deserve it. You practically have me living like royalty. I wake up almost every morning to either a hot breakfast, or a breakfast I can take to work, you almost always have dinner at least prepped if not ready by the time I get home in the evening...all while still working yourself to the bone at your own job. I just wish I could do something more for you."

 _You can_ Elsa found herself thinking, but she quickly let the thought fall from the forefront of her mind and joined Anna at the sink with a towel in her hand, prepared to dry for Anna.

"If you insist." Anna sighed, reluctantly handing Elsa a bowl that she had used earlier in the day to mix up the icing.

"Do you um..." Elsa paused, carefully considering her words. Tonight had already been so perfect in so many different ways, she wanted nothing more than for it to continue along that path, "Do you mind me asking you something?"

"If I did I'd already be offended, since you already have."

Elsa rolled her eyes at Anna, who was playfully poking her tongue out. "Why a surprise party? Why not just a regular party?"

Anna seemed to consider the idea for a moment, her gentle scrubbing motions even stopped as she furrowed her brows, "Well, a surprise is better isn't it? Was that...not okay?"

"No, no! Of course it was okay, I loved every minute of it I just..."

"...just?"

The single, questioning word from Anna weighed heavily in Elsa's chest as she considered her words. "I've been thinking a lot lately, Anna. A lot about things that, well, perhaps I shouldn't be thinking about just yet but tonight" Elsa paused, noticing that Anna had slowly begun to scrub the dish in her hand again, "it made me feel like maybe it isn't too soon to be thinking."

"Thinking?"

Elsa smiled in spite of herself, lowering her eyes back to the towel in her hand. Anna had looked so curious, so clueless in that moment. So innocent and perfect. Would it be wrong to just come out and say it? No ring, no fancy proposal, to just come out and tell Anna what she was considering?

"I think I'll let it be a surprise."

The look on Anna's face told Elsa that Anna would no doubt bother her for a while about it, even if she merely grumbled and continued scrubbing dishes right at that moment, but Elsa reasoned that the look on future Anna's face would be well worth any pestering she might have to endure. But how wrong she was she could have no idea.

In the weeks to come Anna was a terror, Elsa was hardly able to go to her studio without Anna playing investigator in an attempt to look for some kind of hint, some little nugget of a clue to try to reason out what the surprise was before it happened. It was maddening, but Elsa was pleased to find that it made her love Anna all the more. She was dedicated to discovering just what Elsa was up to and was doing her 'research' in the most silly ways possible.

"Can I go to your studio with you today?"

Anna had whined the words from the couch, where she was draped over the back, her arms dangling down and her chin supported by the fluff at the top of the couch pillow. She looked reminiscent of a sloth trying to reason out how to get down from its perch in a tree.

"Anna, don't you have work dearest?"

"Yeah, but it's boring. Let me come to work with you instead."

"And I suppose just my salary alone will support your tremendous chocolate habit?" Those little freckled cheeks flushed with pink and Anna sank down out of Elsa's view, clearly defeated. "It's just a few hours my love, we'll be home together again before you know it."

XXXXXXXX

Anna sat at her desk running her fingers through the small fringe of her bangs, clearly looking a little flustered but not truly aware of just how much so. At least, that is, until a familiar voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"What's wrong with you Annie? Job finally getting to you? I gotta say, you're cracking well before I expected you to. "

"No the job is _not_ getting to me, Nicholas." The young man grimaced as though he hadn't expected the jab in return for his own, but Anna couldn't manage to summon enough willpower to care. "What's it matter to you anyway?"

"Grumpy, grumpy! Goodness, if I didn't know any better I'd think there might be trouble in paradise!"

Trouble in paradise? The thought hadn't crossed Anna's mind yet, she had been so concerned with _when_ the surprise would come that she hadn't even thought whether or not it could possibly be something bad. Thinking back to Elsa's birthday she did look a little less than enthused when talking about this mysterious surprise, but Anna couldn't say that Elsa had looked upset...

"What do you mean trouble in paradise?"

"Misses not taking care of you? Or are you not taking care of her? Happens all the time when you live together you know, everything is hot and heavy at the start and then you live together and _poof_. Up in a puff of smoke. It's like seeing one another more makes you want one another less."

He rolled his shoulders and smiled a melancholy smile at Anna, shaking his head to indicate his disbelief. Once Anna had set aside the idea that he would obviously have to know this from experience she began to consider it. What if Elsa wasn't happy with how things were taking place in their bedroom? The idea almost seemed ridiculous to even consider, and yet Nick seemed to have planted a seed in Anna's mind.

"Y-you think..." Anna paused, shaking her head at the ludicrousness of the words that were about to come out of her mouth. "You don't even know what's going on but you're telling me that if I were to 'spice things up' in the bedroom things will be different?"

Nick smirked and crouched down, crossing his arms over her desk and laying his head atop his hands. "Then dish, Annie."

She couldn't help the scoff that escaped her, but on some level she was desperate to hear at least _someone's_ opinion on what was up with Elsa. "She started to tell me about something after a surprise birthday party I threw for her and never finished the thought. Something about enjoying the party but she 'just.' It was strange and when I asked about it she said she would keep it a surprise."

"Sounds to me like she's doing some research on something special for you." Nick said with a wink and a coy smile, "Stop in at the Electric Queen before heading home tonight. It'll help you with any problems you might be having."

Anna's face flushed at the suggestion and Nick seemed to take that as a sign that the conversation was over because he stood up and left her with her thoughts. Her increasingly frustrating thoughts, ones that by the end of the day had her racing to the neon lit parking lot of the Electric Queen with only one thing on her mind.

"You look like a woman on a mission."

Anna started as a voice immediately greeted her from behind the counter set just shy of the entrance. Before her stood a slim redhead with what seemed to be an odd choice of color combinations. Purple and a strange teal color, they certainly weren't colors Anna would have chosen to go with the particular shade of red of the woman's hair, but it seemed to suit her in a strange way. "Something like that."

"Know what you're looking for then?"

She hesitated a moment, debating her answer. What was she looking for? It seemed simple enough, really, just something to spice up their bedroom life. But what would that be, exactly?

"Judging by that look that'll be a no. Walk with me and tell me a little about your situation, we'll get you sorted out in fifteen minutes or it's half off."

The promise sounded too good to be true, but Anna dished about her loving girlfriend and their recent situation, to which the shop owner only laughed. Anna answered questions that she hadn't been asked before, about her experience level with toys, about _Elsa's_ experience with toys...it was enough to make her head swim.

"So, you really think your trouble is in the bedroom? Sounds like something else to me, but I would hate to spoil a surprise for you, you poor silly thing."

The shop owner, whose name tag Anna had still yet to be able to clearly read despite her best efforts, smirked as she said that last bit. The simple action unnerved Anna a little, was there something more to this that she wasn't seeing? Nick _had_ been unusually quick to jump to a sexual dilemma, now that Anna really thought on it. _Was I too quick to trust him? What the hell am I doing here?_

"W-what is that?" Anna's eyes had finally started to register what was happening in front of her as the thought subsided.

The woman held in front of her a plastic packaging with a bright purple dildo held inside of it, alongside a small cloth bag holding something as of yet unknown but no doubt equally as interesting. Anna's eyes strayed modestly from the packaging and finally caught the name on the woman's name tag, "Ariel, I'm...I'm not sure um...why is the bottom flat like that?"

"To fit with these, silly. They're these cute little panties, you can slap a flared base dildo into these and they've got a little ring to hold that in place so you can-" Ariel paused to gesture with her hips in a humping motion that brought color to Anna's cheeks. "-or is that not your thing? We've got plenty of vibrators or-"

"No." Anna's voice was a little urgent as the wheels began to turn in her head, little reels of tape playing out a fantasy that she certainly shouldn't be having here in such a public place. "No I think that will work. I-is that erm, the right size?"

"Well, you seem like you're at least familiar with this stuff, but you weren't sure about her so I figured this would work just fine. As far as these panties, you said you were roughly the same waist size so I feel like these will work for you both. Oh, and did I mention they're machine washable? Just hang them up to dry so you don't damage that little ring I was telling you about, isn't that neat?"

Neat, Anna thought, was a strange word to be using for something so inherently sexual. And yet it seemed to fit. It was neat, it was neat in every sense of the word, and terrifying all the same. Not the thought of using it, but rather the thought of what Elsa would think...if Elsa would be open to wearing these to...

Anna shook the thought and smiled at Ariel, "It is neat, I'll take them both."

"Great, and it only took about eleven minutes! But since you were such a good sport even though you're clearly pretty uncomfortable, I'll even throw in some lube for free!"

As Anna exited the store, plastic purple bag crinkling quietly in the gentle breeze, she couldn't help the more than a little perverse thoughts in her mind. Elsa would surely have no more 'surprises' once Anna presented Elsa with _her_ surprise, at least no bad surprises anyway.

 **a/n: Thank you all for being so patient with me over the holidays, I hope all of you enjoyed them just as much as I was able to!**


	23. Hold Me, Or Don't

Chapter Twenty Three: Hold Me, Or Don't

Elsa could practically hear herself groaning internally as she looked at price tag after price tag, not at all pleased with the quality of the rings she was looking at for the price the store wanted. The poor saleswoman had been so patient with her this morning, but now that she had returned this afternoon the woman looked much less tolerant of her lack of decisiveness. Elsa could do nothing but shoot her apologetic looks each time she pulled one of the rings out to give it another once over. None of them seemed right, no matter how many times she looked at them.

"Well, Miss Ross? Have you come to a decision?"

Unfortunately for the woman this ring wasn't something that Elsa was willing to compromise on, so she smiled as gently as she could at the saleswoman and shook her head in a clear 'no.' "I'm sorry to have taken up so much of your time, this just has to be perfect and I'm not seeing the right one here. I'm sure I'll be back to check the next time you get something new."

"Certainly Miss Ross, I do hope that we see you again sooner rather than later!"

Elsa stood and accepted the feigned polite smile that the woman offered her, but knew that the moment she turned her back the woman would no doubt be a little more expressive in her anger at not having managed to sell Elsa anything. Elsa couldn't help but wonder if the woman was truly showing her all that they had in the price range she had specified or if he was holding back due to Elsa's situation. Surely her commission was more important to her than making a stand on the subject of two women getting married?

It wouldn't be the first time she had experienced some sort of discrimination, but it certainly would be the most offensive. Not for her own pride, but for Anna. Anna deserved the very best, the most perfect ring that she could find, and if some saleswoman thought that she could keep Elsa from finding it then she was dead wrong.

Slipping her hands in the pockets of her jeans Elsa continued walking through the strip mall, almost feeling a little embarrassed for being there and searching for a ring rather than going to some fancy store. Something about the place had meaning for her though, she and Anna spent so much time here on their weekends together. Despite her slight feelings of shame, she hoped that eventually she'd locate what she was looking for, even if it meant coming back again and again.

Unfortunately today seemed like a bust, she had been to just about every place that sold actual jewelry and none had been more productive than any other. As Elsa rode the escalator down to the bottom floor, however, a small shop caught her eye. It had to have been new, she hadn't seen it the last time she had been through this way, and yet there it sat.

Without a thought she wandered in, through the narrow entryway and into the well lit room within. Rows and rows of glass cases held expensive looking necklaces and pendants, earrings galore shimmered under skillfully placed lights, and at the back of the shop sat what looked to be a row of rings on display just in front of a little check out counter.

"Welcome, welcome! It is nice to see a customer here! My name is Cindy, and I'm happy to help you find anything you might be looking for!"

A tall woman with yellow blonde hair wrapped at the back of her head in a bun caught Elsa's eye. Despite her plain blue dress, she appeared to be wearing some kind of glittering shoes to match the band around her bun. An interesting combination of colors, but one that Elsa could appreciate.

"I can see why you might not get many, I almost overlooked this little place." Elsa avoided dropping her name, but the simple faux pas was more out of her uncertainty over the woman than any real desire to mask her identity. After all, she had already been snubbed at least once today. She had no desire to add another shop to that list.

"I haven't had time to get a sign up yet, but soon enough! Is there something I can help you with?"

Her smile was so genuine it was almost off putting. Elsa debated a moment while she looked pointedly in any direction _but_ the one the rings were in, trying to decide if she was mentally prepared to go through this whole story once again. But in all honesty, what did she have to lose? Anna would be at home by the time she made it home anyway, she was already ahead of schedule so there was no real rush for her to leave just yet.

"I'm looking for an engagement ring, for my girlfriend."

Elsa braced for what she felt would be the inevitable feigned happiness, but it didn't come. Instead the woman raised her hands to cover her mouth, muffling a high pitched squeal. Quite the opposite of what Elsa was expecting, this woman seemed to be either genuinely pleased to help or a very good actress.

"Tell me all about how you met, tell me everything about her!"

Elsa found herself involuntarily smiling in response, this woman was clearly something she hadn't expected. She was a real, kind soul. It was refreshing, in a way, to go from a place where someone clearly wasn't supportive but still wanted their paycheck to...whatever this was. Whether she was acting or not, it was overall starting to feel like a pleasant experience. So, Elsa did as she was bidden. She told every little detail about their strange little dance, and their eventual finding of one another, even about the wonderful effort that Anna put in to her birthday party.

There were no more words spoken when Elsa finally fell silent, and it was a few moments before the woman stopped staring dreamily at Elsa and made her way behind the counter of rings. Cindy hesitated, her hand hovering over the glass before turning away from it as she bent behind the counter and rose with what looked to be a small book in her hands.

"Now, typically I wouldn't even show customers this but...this seems like a wonderful reason to break away from my normal sales pitch. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with what I'm about to show you."

And Elsa was, far beyond what she assumed she would be. Cindy approached with the little black book and seemed to magic the top off, it had been a box all along masquerading as a book, and within were numerous rings that looked unlike anything Elsa had ever seen before. The sight of them nearly took Elsa's breath away.

"Wow."

It was the only word that she could muster as her eyes grazed over each of the rings, greedily taking in every detail. Truthfully a few of them were less than impressive, perhaps they were experimental in design Elsa thought, but they weren't what she was looking for. Though, what exactly she was looking for she didn't know until she laid eyes on the last ring in the third row.

The band was a pleasant, neutral white gold, and wide, but not too much so. The metal would have been gorgeous all on its own, but the very special thing about this ring was the shape that the metal had been forged to take. Though it was a solid band it appeared to be comprised of little silver leaves, each one far more sturdy than their delicate design led Elsa to believe. At each intersection was set a small diamond, gently glittering in the light. It was perfect, not too bold but certainly far from understated, this was the one that Anna would appreciate.

"See something you like?"

The sound of Cindy speaking to her snapped Elsa from her intense staring contest with the ring, and she smiled a little sheepishly at Cindy in return. "This one is perfect. What size is it?"

"Hold on now, these are personal designs that have been hand forged by yours truly, so they won't be cheap. Are you sure this is what you want?"

Elsa hesitated, wondering just what Cindy meant by 'not cheap,' but the overwhelming knowledge that this was most definitely the _exact_ ring that she needed outweighed any issues she had with spending a little more than she expected to. "Absolutely! Hearing that it's an individual design makes it even more special. That's the one for Anna, I just know it."

Rather than waiting for Cindy to decide to disclose the size of the ring, Elsa picked it up gingerly and slipped it onto her own finger. It was a little tight on her, which told her that it would likely fit Anna like a glove. The sheer stupidity of the luck was clearly a sign to an overly excited Elsa, it was meant to be – and Elsa wasn't about to take no for an answer.

XXXXXXXX

Anna sat at home alone, bored and unable to peel her mind away from the _thing_ sitting in a well hidden box at the back of her side of the closet. There wasn't a word she was comfortable using for it, but all the same she thought about it any time she was alone. How would she introduce such a thing into their bedroom life? Certainly she hadn't thought it through all the way, but she could hardly turn back now that the money had been spent.

Groaning, Anna pushed herself off the bed and walked to the closet. Her hand lingered on the door handle for a moment longer than it should have, but she opened the door nonetheless. That moment of hesitation was the only one she had, for within a few seconds she had dug out the secretive little box and held in her hands both keys to the future of her nights together with Elsa.

"This shouldn't be so hard..." Anna muttered, laughing at her own unintentional innuendo. "Maybe I should just be wearing it when she gets home? Strut around in front of her, or lay in bed?"

The thought was laughable at first, drawing a few chuckles from Anna before the wheels in her head began to turn. Maybe, just maybe, that would be the perfect way. She could feel the familiar warmth in her lower belly as she glanced at the clock, feeling a little risque planning such a thing with Elsa's imminent return home looming so closely. But what could possibly go wrong, even if she wasn't quite finished getting things on, Elsa would see it one way or another, right?

Anna was out of her pants and underthings in a matter of seconds, mindfully placing them in the hamper nearby before slipping the new plaything into its harness and tugging the underwear up over her hips. Looking down the view was certainly odd, but curiosity gripped Anna and she quickly scampered into the bathroom, feeling the weight bobbing between her legs with each clumsy step.

Standing before her full length mirror she couldn't help but snicker and smile at the purple protrusion. It certainly looked unrealistic, something she imagined Elsa might appreciate, but Ariel had assured her it was going to work wonders. Anna timidly watched herself in the mirror, extending a single finger to poke at the head and watch it gently bob up and down in response.

"This is wild." Anna muttered aloud to herself, unable to stop smirking at the ridiculousness of her appearance.

But then a thought gripped her: how would Elsa take this if she was giggly and smiley the whole time? Anna certainly didn't want this to be seen as a joke, after all it was supposed to be a sexy surprise not a goofy one. The wheels in her mind turned again and Anna wondered, what could she do to impress upon Elsa that she was ready, and more than willing, to utilize this new plaything appropriately and often?

Anna brought her hands up and cupped her breasts, then moved her hands slowly downward to her hips, as though she were seeing how silly she might look if she were to do something similar in front of Elsa in an attempt to look sexy. But she didn't look silly, not even a smidgen. Anna found herself feeling flushed at the very appearance of herself, her heart was fluttering quickly in her chest as she tried to imagine how Elsa might feel at this sight. She wouldn't have long to wonder.

"A-anna?"

Anna had been so caught up in looking at herself in the mirror that she hadn't heard the door to their home, or the sound of Elsa approaching in what she could only assume must have been cat like silence. Rather than face Elsa, Anna quickly turned the other way, stepping out of the line of the mirror so that Elsa could no longer use it to see her. She was flooded with a mixture of emotions, but none of them were as carefree as the ones she felt planning out this little venture.

"Els, you're home!" Anna managed to squeak the words out, her voice higher pitched than normal as she struggled to wrap a towel around herself, attempting in vain to hide what Elsa had no doubt already seen. "I didn't expect you so soon."

"Clearly not."

Whether Elsa sounded breathless from shock at seeing the odd purple growth Anna had seemed to develop or due to Anna's sheer allure was difficult to discern, and her lack of making any movement hardly made the decision easier for Anna. What was she to do? Elsa was either turned on or disgusted with her, but either way this hadn't played out at all like Anna had hoped it to.

"I was just going to-" Anna paused, stepping tentatively toward the shower, still adamantly refusing to face Elsa. "-to take a shower. Yep. Shower."

"A shower?"

"Yep. I've been um, cleaning. Yes. Cleaning. And I'm pretty dirty so I should take a shower. Right now."

"And I suppose you would like me to uncharacteristically vacate the restroom while you do so?"

Anna's shoulders tensed as she heard a few steps being taken, though with the echo in her bathroom it was difficult to tell which direction they were headed. "If you wouldn't mind. It's that time of the month you know."

It was silent for a moment, and Anna's heart began to slow as she believed her lie had been taken as truth.

"The time of month in which you magically grow a penis?" The way in which Anna nearly doubled over in an attempt to be sure that her new toy was covered was almost comical, she was sure, in a sad and pitiful sort of way. Anna didn't make a sound, save her nervous staccato laughs. "Anna, are we just going to pretend that I didn't see any of that or are you going to talk to me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

Anna was insistent, as if she could will the burning at the back of her eyes and the rising sense of embarrassment and guilt to stop. How she could have been so foolish as to pull this stupid thing out so close to time for Elsa to be home she didn't know, but she knew to a high degree of certainty that she wouldn't ever do something this stupid again. The feeling of Elsa's hand gently settling on her shoulder, turning her around, was enough to make Anna feel sick to her stomach.

"Anna, come on now. Don't pout."

"'Don't _pout_?" Anna scoffed, "Pouting is the least of my worries, I totally embarrassed myself in front of you! I can't believe I was doing that, and then of _course_ you got here faster than I expected you to, and you're clearly not turned on by this. I can't even believe that saleswoman talked me into buying this stupid thing! Actually, you know what? I can. I can, because I'm an idiot and that's clearly written all over my face!"

Anna _was_ pouting and she certainly knew it, but it was hard not to when she felt like such a fool for her actions. It would have been one thing for Anna to have been set up in bed, a lacy bra covering her breasts and ready to impress an unsuspecting Elsa, but this? Being essentially caught admiring herself in a mirror while wearing a fake penis? It was all too much, and the shame welling inside of her was difficult to put aside and handle this rationally.

"Are you through?"

The words caused Anna's face to scrunch up in anger, "Of course I am."

"Good." Elsa's voice was soft, soothing, and warm, but for the moment it was no match for Anna's ill temper. "Anna, you're being ridiculous right now. It's not like I caught you wearing a clown costume and practicing for the circus."

"I may as well have been, this thing is so goofy looking!"

Anna was finally looking at Elsa's face, her expression was so gentle that Anna's hardened stance on the subject began to waver. Elsa couldn't lie right to her face, not like this. And then Elsa pulled Anna in close, Anna could feel the pressure of the toy pressing against Elsa's body and shamefully felt a surge of warmth rush through her. She could certainly see how this could be pleasurable to use for them both.

"It's no big deal. You should have told me you were interested in this kind of thing, I'd have been happy to take you out shopping. I'm a little surprised at your choice though, I thought for sure you'd be the type to be on the receiving end of something like this."

It was difficult for Anna's brain to decide which aspect of Elsa's statement to process first, so instead of processing any of it, Anna merely exclaimed, "What?"

"I didn't mean it to be offensive!" Elsa released her quickly, looking entirely apologetic, "I just mean that I thought if one of us would be wearing something like that it would most likely be me."

Anna's mind all but exploded, in that moment all that Elsa had said became crystal clear. Little reels of perverted film played out speedily in her head, showing her all the things she didn't realize that she wanted to have Elsa do to her until this moment. "So you're not upset?"

"Upset? Are you deluded? You do realize that this is perfectly normal don't you?"

"Fuck me." The order was out of her mouth before Anna even had time to consider that Elsa may not be interested at the moment, but her need was mounting with each little scenario that played out in her mind, with each second that passed with Elsa in front of her speaking so plainly.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, I said fuck me. Here, there, wherever. I don't care, I just need you."

Elsa looked flabbergasted, but Anna hardly had time to process what Elsa's expression was, she had already begun to busy herself with Elsa's shirt buttons. "Anna, hold on."

"Elsa _please_." Anna had thought this whole thing was going so poorly mere moments ago and now she found herself very much playing the part of an entitled male, pawing clumsily at Elsa's clothes. She had been given a scrap of hope and was taking it as far as she would be allowed to.

"Stop, Anna." Elsa's voice was much more authoritative now, and it was clear that there was more to discuss before they were to move on to other activities. "Listen, I don't think now is the right time for this, I think we should talk about this later when we're both a little less...well, a little more in our right minds."

Anna relented, but only because she knew she wouldn't win this argument. Now she really did need a shower, and a cold one at that. Elsa gently kissed her cheek and looked at her with those sweet, blue eyes one last time before leaving Anna to her own devices in the bathroom. What had she gotten herself into with this stupid investment?

XXXXXXXX

Elsa's heart had hardly slowed through the entire interaction with Anna, from the moment she laid eyes upon the minx standing in front of the mirror caressing herself until now her pulse had raced. She could hardly believe that she had been able to resist Anna's advances, it had taken every iota of strength to withdraw herself from the bathroom and close the door behind her. The explanation she had given Anna made no sense the more she thought about it, and yet Anna had accepted it without question. When the sound of the water running and the shower opening and closing reached her ears, Elsa finally peeled herself away from the door and made her way to the closet to search for a hiding place that Anna might not notice.

"Here we are."

Elsa pulled down her bag of summer clothing that had been neatly packed away and stuffed the ring box in so that it was not visible. Afterward she smiled and closed the closet door, now able to take a moment to breathe and relax. Elsa certainly had expected to run into Anna at some point when she arrived home, but the way in which she did couldn't have been imagined in her wildest of dreams. Hands all over her freckled breasts, trailing down to something that Elsa clearly hadn't been meant to see yet...it had almost been too much for Elsa to handle all at once.

Anna certainly didn't seem the type to have such an interest, especially given the ease with which Elsa could turn a situation in which Anna was attempting to be dominant into one where Anna was whimpering beneath her, obeying every little whim Elsa might have. People were surprising though, that much she knew for certain, and Anna was no different than anyone else.

Elsa flopped on the bed face first, hiding her now flushed face in a pillow as she began to shake off the thoughts that Anna had planted in her mind. She had seen Anna beg, plead, and whine, but such a demand was so rare that it had been incredibly difficult to act as though she were unaffected. Elsa had little doubt about the source of the demand, she was nearly certain it stemmed from stress and high levels of embarrassment that Anna was feeling.

The more she thought on the cause of Anna's actions the better Elsa felt about not reacting ravenously to the command. She may have felt like she was taking advantage of Anna if she had, that and her precious cargo might have been revealed prematurely if a romp had taken place right then and there. Her plan for how to propose to Anna wasn't exactly clear in her mind yet, but Elsa knew for a fact that it wouldn't involve fucking on a bathroom floor. At least, not _before_ the proposal anyway.

"So, are we talking or...?"

Elsa pulled herself up into a seated position before scooting to the edge of the bed, her eyes settling on Anna's exposed back as she busied herself with getting dressed after her shower. Elsa found herself hearing Anna's demanding voice in her mind as she stared at the gentle curve of her spine. Elsa bit her lip and cleared her throat, "Of course. Would you mind telling me what spurred your little purchase?"

"You're going to laugh."

"No I won't!" She couldn't have been more serious in her denial, though her mind was becoming clouded with filthy thoughts as she did her best to wait patiently.

Anna looked pensive for a moment before finally pulling a shirt roughly over her head and seeming to rummage in the closet, presumably to look for a home for said purchase. "I don't know. You've been kind of weird lately. Quieter, secretive, going to work a lot more than I'm used to. Nick, you remember Nick?" Anna paused until Elsa gave indication of an affirmative, "Well, he said that I might be boring you. In bed, I mean. Obviously I'm an interesting person and you wouldn't have any reason to be bored with me otherwise."

Elsa cleared her throat again and covered her mouth, looking down and doing the best she could not to reveal the smile that was growing on her lips. She couldn't help it as the laughter bubbled up and out of her throat at Anna's explanation, it seemed so completely ridiculous and Elsa could hardly believe that Anna had listened to Nick. Certainly she felt bad for being a little secretive, but she couldn't have imagined that Anna would go to such extremes to try to keep her happy. In a weird sort of way it was sweet.

"Anna, honey, you know very well that I've never been displeased with your performance. You're always quite exemplary."

"That's what you say but-"

"Surely you're not going to tell me that you aren't sure? I'm positive that you can _feel_ just how much I enjoy myself when I'm with you. No less than you enjoy my work, I'm sure."

Elsa winked and Anna's cheeks quickly flushed as she turned away and crossed her arms over her chest, only serving to make her all the more adorable. Anna looked flustered to say the least, but Elsa couldn't be sure which portion of her statement had been the one to push Anna over the edge.

"So you're happy? As is?"

"My love, I wouldn't hesitate to vocalize any need I might have to you. And, of course, I'm always open to hear any needs that you might have as well. You know that, don't you?"

Elsa added the last bit to, hopefully, serve as reassurance to a visibly uncertain Anna. Elsa knew all too well that many women in relationships with other women often had hang ups with asking to use or using toys like the one Anna had purchased. The underlying suggestion that they may be seen as less 'authentic' to their partner due to their desires was something that could cause problems, Elsa had seen it many times before and it was never pretty to witness. It would no doubt do Anna well to be reassured that she could ask anything of Elsa and Elsa would happily do it.

"And you...you don't think that I want to leave you for a man, right? Because I don't, not at all! And I don't want to _be_ a man either, so that's not even anything that should cross your mind."

The emphasis Anna was placing on her questions, and statements, almost made Elsa wonder if she had already been through something like this in her life, if some imbecilic person that she had spoken to or dated had questioned her about this before, but Elsa decided to leave the subject be for now. That was a conversation for later.

"Of course not, I know you only want me, and I'll continue to know that until the day you tell me otherwise."

Finally it seemed Anna had shaken off her feelings about being found with such a toy in such a situation and she joined Elsa on the bed. Elsa gently embraced Anna, thankful as ever for the peaceful silence between them. From here there would hopefully be no further issues with her impending plans.

 **a/n: Hi guys! I just wanted to let you all know that, although there shouldn't be any delays in the coming weeks, there is a possibility for them! I have a convention coming up in February and, as usual, I'm way behind on my costume! Thanks for continuing to read!.**


	24. Hide and Seek

Chapter Twenty Four: Hide and Seek

Winter gave way in a flash, and in its wake lingered a seemingly endless and disgustingly muggy spring that melted into an unpleasantly warm summer. Though it was still early, the sun was already bearing down on Elsa as her feet rhythmically struck the pavement alongside Esmeralda's. Both women had worked up a sweat within minutes of the start of their jog, but Elsa had been quite insistent that they had to complete this mission very early this morning.

"Why did we have to do this so early again?" Esmeralda panted, nearly breathless from her exertion.

"Anna's still sleeping, you know that she'll be less suspicious if I'm gone and back before she wakes up."

"You're killing me Els, you really are. I'm on my feet all the time but this is torture! Decide already and release be from this ridiculous promise!"

Elsa rolled her eyes and shook her head at Esmeralda, trying to keep her breathing even despite having to speak in between breaths. "You don't _have_ to be here you know. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have you but I'll understand if you want to bail on me. We've been all around town the past few months, and it's getting hotter every day."

Esmeralda seemed to pout, or at least Elsa assumed it was pouting. It was difficult to tell given how hard Esmeralda was breathing and how upset she already looked at having to be out jogging at this hour. Then Elsa heard her muttering under her breath about bodies always being found near jogging paths and she was certain Esmeralda was pouting, but she didn't bother arguing with Elsa any further. For that, Elsa was grateful. The silence, however short, was ample enough for Elsa to focus on the imagery.

The trees here were lush, despite the summer heat, and no doubt would prove to be quite beautiful when autumn finally brought an end to the overbearing warmth. The leaves would be a cascade of pleasant yellows and oranges she suspected, even a few sporadic patches of bright red. The air would no doubt be cooler but wouldn't yet have the bite of winter winds. The grass would be a little crunchy, certainly, but it wouldn't feel wet as it might when it was lush and green. It would be quite conducive to a picnic. Yes, each little factor would provide the perfect ambiance for her plan to unfold.

Anna would sit alongside her, atop a blanket of some sort, with a basket of goodies between them. They would laugh and play and joke with one another, and when they were through Elsa would lead Anna on a playfully romantic walk across the park and when they reached the little bridge that stretched over the small, gurgling stream, she would ask Anna to be hers. It was a genius plan, no doubt, and Elsa was certain that Anna would appreciate it in one way or another. She could practically see the excited look on Anna's face in her mind as the whole scene played out in her head.

"Els!" Esmeralda grabbed Elsa's arm and jerked her out of the path of a bicyclist speeding along the other side of the jogging track, firmly planting Elsa back into her current reality. "Geez, I haven't seen you this out of it in a while.

"Sorry." Elsa muttered, slowing her pace to a walk and shaking her head to get back down to Earth.

"What's up? Are you alright?"

"This is the place. I can feel it!"

"Thank goodness." Esmeralda immediately stepped off the path and sat down in the grass nearby, smiling almost manically up at the sky. "I thought we were never going to be done with this ridiculous quest, you're nuts for doing all this 'research' just for somewhere to pop the question. I'm sure if you just asked her she'd say yes."

"It's not ridiculous! You know this is important, it's got to be just right. Not just for me, but for her too."

"Yeah, yeah. You've been dragging me around for weeks though, you'd think someone with your big, beautiful brain could have planned this thing out without physically _being_ in the place you're thinking about."

Elsa remained silent as she stood next to Esmeralda, pointedly avoiding looking at her but feeling the sharpness in her gaze all the same. She was right, but Elsa didn't want to admit it. Anna made her weak, though. The mere thought of an attempted proposal made her both willfully brave and tremendously fearful all at once, and those two emotions had made her all the more uncertain during her planning. Now, though, she was sure. This would certainly be the way to receive her 'yes' from Anna, and Elsa couldn't have been more grateful to Esmeralda for accompanying her all over town to keep her sane.

"You're overthinking again aren't you?"

Esmeralda was still staring up at her, though now her expression of playful irritation had melted away and had been replaced with an amused smile. She always seemed to know, no matter how Elsa tried to hide it. "Perhaps a little."

"Perhaps." Esmeralda scoffed, "Well then, _my lady_ , let's get your mind off of this for a little bit. Do we have time for breakfast at Oaken's?"

"We do not, but I would love it if you came home and had breakfast with us." Sensing Esmeralda's unease and mistrust, Elsa added, "I promise this isn't a ruse to gain an extra pair of hands to wash dishes."

Elsa extended her hands and smiled when Esmeralda, after what looked to be a fit of mild consternation, finally rolled her eyes and accepted the offer for help getting up off the ground. "You'd better lend me some clothes so I can shower, I'm disgusting after this ridiculous mess."

"Jogging is good for you, you know."

"Jogging is just a clever way to have more pancakes for breakfast."

Esmeralda gently patted her belly and Elsa laughed, thankful as ever for the friendship that she shared with this unique woman. But even as that positive wave of emotion rolled over her, a dark cloud seemed to follow. "Hey, you think you'll still like me when I'm a married woman?"

"I don't even like you now so..." Esmeralda swayed as Elsa gently shoved her to the side, clearly displeased with what she had said, "Alright, alright! I don't think anything will change, knowing you your ring will be so plain that it won't even be visible. Unless you get a rock the size of your hand that I just _can't_ ignore I don't see any reason we can't still be close like this."

The women linked arms and Elsa practically exuded happiness, it was in that moment that she realized how lucky she was to have the opportunity to spend this time with Esmeralda. She truly was unlike anyone else that Elsa knew, and being with her now when she most needed someone to help her through this stressful time was worth more than all the money in all the world.

~X~

Before she knew it, the day had arrived at last. Months of stress, tears, intense planning, and so very much effort had led Elsa to the day that she would ask Anna to be with her for the rest of their lives. To say she was nervous was an understatement to be sure, terrified was far more accurate a word, but she couldn't let it show. Everything had to be just right, not to mention perfectly normal, so that Anna wouldn't suspect a thing until it was too late.

As she arrived in the park, picnic basket in hand, Elsa realized that she had been almost frighteningly accurate in her vision of what this park would look like on this perfect autumn day. The sun shone brightly, but the air was cool and a gentle breeze rocked the lighter branches of the trees in a symphony of pleasant rustling. The leaves were a beautiful mash up of reds, oranges, and yellows, While the grass on the ground was still hanging on to a little of its color, it crunched quietly under her feet. Perfect, everything was just perfect!

After setting the basket down Elsa brought her hands up over her mouth in an excited gesture, suppressing what might have been a squeal of excitement if the timing had been more right. It wasn't worth the risk of having to think up an excuse on the fly if Anna were to show up early. She fought the breeze for only a moment as she spread the blanket on the ground, placing small weights strategically at the corners to keep it from flying away in the wind.

Were she certain she was alone Elsa might have patted herself on the back for successfully having the whole set up complete before Anna's arrival, but even then she could see Anna walking briskly in the distance towards her. The excitement was building to an almost unbearable level, Elsa wondered to herself how she would keep the lid on this surprise long enough for herself and Anna to get a decent meal in before the actual event took place.

"Els, what's all this? When you said dinner I thought we'd be going to an actual restaurant."

Despite her confusion Anna still extended her arms and took Elsa into a big hug, causing Elsa a little anxiety and happiness all at once. "I thought you might like a change of scenery. We're always either out or at home, and the park is so pretty at this time of year."

Anna shrugged and Elsa internally celebrated as they both took a seat on the blanket, it was a small victory, but such a crucial part of the day to come. Elsa had planned everything so that each portion of their meal would be something they both had an affinity for. They started started their picnic with a small tray of fruit, packed with grapes and strawberries, as well as a few pieces of chocolate.

"You only wanted to come here because you need inspiration for a painting, didn't you?" Anna said, smiling coyly as she eyed a particularly plump strawberry before biting it in half. "You have that look in your eyes."

Elsa could only grin and roll her shoulders in a shrug, glad for once that Anna's presumptuous nature would work in her favor and dissuade any suspicions Anna might have about their being here. "You could say that, I suppose."

"You're so predictable, you know? I love it, I love that I know exactly what's going on in your mind all the time now. Beats the hell out of how we were before we got together, that's for sure."

Before they got together. Elsa silently contemplated that dark time in her life, and the contrast with the excitement and sheer joy she felt today with Anna was stark. They had been through so much in such a short time frame, and now Elsa sat here alongside Anna preparing to really begin their lives together. Elsa could feel her heart swelling in her chest with happiness, from there she began eating a little faster in hopes of moving their afternoon along towards the end goal. It all had to be according to plan though, so Elsa next pulled out a tray of sandwiches, yet another thing they both seemed to love.

"Geez, you must be ravenous! You're really wolfing that thing down." Elsa chuckled at Anna's little comment, but Anna, who had hardly made it halfway through her sandwich, looked on at Elsa with concern. "Are you feeling okay? You're awfully quiet, especially since you're using this place for inspiration. Shouldn't you be telling me about what painting you're trying to get through or something?"

Anna made broad sweeping gestures with the sandwich in her hand, as if she were describing a landscape that didn't quite exist in front of them. It was painfully silly, but adorable all the same. Elsa quietly wondered if she actually did things like that while filling Anna in on her plans for paintings.

"I'm just enjoying the day with you, dear. Is it so odd that I would just enjoy being around you?"

It was a lie, but at the same time it wasn't. Anna peered at her curiously for a moment more, but eventually gave in and started back in on her sandwich. How quickly they finished was mildly important, as Elsa's plan now involved the early moments of the setting sun, but Anna didn't seem to be moving too quickly today. Stress began bubbling beneath the surface of her calm facade, but Elsa couldn't let it show.

"What would you like to do after you finish your sandwich?"

A clever move, and one at least partially in her plan. She had taken into account the possibility that Anna might dally, and knew that the best course of action would be to introduce a possible reason for Anna to get excited about finishing more quickly. For a moment it looked as though her plan hadn't worked, but then Anna's face lit up and her teeth briefly flashed in a mischievous smile.

"How about we play a game? Winner owes the loser a _favor_."

The emphasis told Elsa that Anna intended the favor to be something a little more than doing the dishes alone one night, but despite the myriad of possibilities she couldn't afford to allow herself to be distracted from her goal. "What sort of game?"

"Frisbee?"

"I didn't bring one along, I'm not even entirely sure that we own one."

Anna frowned, clearly displeased, but it wouldn't last for long. Once again her face lit up, "I've got it. We'll play hide and seek."

"You _are_ aware that we're grown adults, aren't you? Besides, wouldn't you rather go for a walk with me?"

"A walk?" Anna scoffed, popping the last bit of her sandwich into her mouth, "What's the matter? Scared you'll owe me?"

Elsa laughed without meaning to. The sound was harsh and quick, reflective of her disbelief that Anna would challenge her in such a way. _Keep your cool, don't be goaded into something. Stick to the plan._ "You'd better prepare yourself, because the favor I'll be asking is a big one."

"Tell you what, I'll go hide and _if_ you can manage to find me then I'll entertain the idea of you trying to trash talk you're ready to admit defeat just let me know and I'll consider forgiving your insolence."

Elsa made to respond, but Anna was off in a flash and seemed to know that Elsa couldn't possibly turn down the blatant challenge. Shaking her head, Elsa checked her watch before closing her eyes and beginning to, with a slight amount of embarrassment, count aloud. She had a little wiggle room in her schedule according to the predictions for the exact time of sunset, but she would have to make quick work of Anna's little game to stay on schedule and make this day absolutely perfect. How difficult could it be, really? There were only so many places to hide in a park like this one. Behind a tree, or a bush, or a bench, she was certain Anna would be found quickly and easily.

And as luck would have it, she was certainly wrong. It had been a good ten minutes since Anna had taken off and still Elsa hadn't managed to locate her. She'd checked behind trees, in bathroom stalls, even near trash cans and there was no Anna to be found. But what surprised her more than Anna's strange hiding ability was the fact that the longer she looked, the more playful and genuinely happy she felt.

Her time constraints seemed to be pushed to the back of her mind as she leaped around yet another tree to find the space behind it to be quite empty and Anna-less. It was beginning to seem as though all that would matter now was enjoying her evening with Anna, perfection be damned.

"I'm going to find you Anna, there's no way you're getting any favors from _me!_ "

Elsa emphasized the last word as she quite suddenly ducked down to look beneath a park bench, frightening a particularly fat squirrel out from his hiding place. The poor thing ran so quickly that he had dropped the nut he was burying and bolted up a nearby tree. The sight brought a strange thought to Elsa's mind, perhaps she hadn't found Anna yet because she had been focusing all of her energy looking down when she should have been looking up!

Elsa rushed back to the trees, full of renewed vigor. Elsa had no idea that Anna would be desperate enough to win to climb a tree, but surely enough as she made her way toward the center of a patch of trees one of Anna's pig tails betrayed her. The familiar locks of hair dangled just a few inches below a cluster of leaves on a fat, low hanging limb.

"I see you Anna." Elsa teased, approaching the base of the tree and staring upward toward Anna's hiding place, "Very smart to try hiding up above me, but I'm afraid your hiding championship title has to be revoked. There's a new champion in town."

The quiet sound of Anna's grumbles and discontented sighs were clear signs that she had realized she had truly been seen and was preparing to climb down. But rather than climb, Elsa soon watched Anna grip the branch and nearly plummet to the ground, then catch herself and drop far more gently. "How about best two out of three?"

"Oh, now it's best two out of three, hm? What happened to, oh what was it you said? 'Considering forgiving my insolence?'" Elsa couldn't help but laugh as Anna crossed her arms over her chest and frowned, displeasure written all over her face. "What would you have asked for anyway?"

"A _puppy_!"

The answer was far from what Elsa had expected, but her heart swelled in her chest all the same. Anna's eyes were shining with genuine happiness, her smile was bright and warm, everything about the moment was too perfect. Screw the bridge and the setting sun, Elsa thought, dropping to one knee without hesitation.

"Els are you okay? You didn't hurt yourself looking for me did you?"

Anna looked concerned, but Elsa couldn't form the words right away. Her mind swam with beautiful poetry, with cheesy words she had heard a thousand times in movies and on television, but they wouldn't come out. She could only kneel there for a moment until finally her mind began to cooperate. As Elsa pulled out a small ring box and, carefully opening it, revealed the specially selected ring she watched Anna's concern shift quickly to dumbfounded shock.

"Anna Greene, with this ring I ask that you be mine from now until we are no more. Would you do me that honor?"

XXXXXXXX

Anna wasn't sure where her head was at during this moment, one minute she had been in a tree and now here Elsa was down on one knee with her heart laid bare before her. Truthfully she hadn't given an official union much thought, she already considered Elsa her wife regardless of official titles and legalities, but something about this act made it feel all the more real. Certainly she hadn't contemplated a ring up until this moment, and yet here it was on the plush black velvet of a fancy looking ring box.

The ring was beautiful, she could say that much for certain. Elsa had clearly gone to a painstaking measure to either have the ring made for her or to find it, for the design was unique and far more attractive to her eye than the conventional ring designs that were available. Uncertain of what to do, Anna reached out for the ring box, but dropped her hand back to her side before actually touching it.

Her heart pounded in her throat as she watched Elsa smile meekly behind the ring box. It was clear that Elsa had planned all of this out in advance and had been considering just how to go about this for some time. Anna had no doubt that playing hide and seek hadn't been included in that plan, but somehow Elsa had managed to summon the courage to just go ahead and push through, to ask despite Anna's clear distraction from the perfect set up for a proposal.

"Oh Els, I-" But Anna couldn't summon any more words, she couldn't put them in an order that would let her convey just how she felt. How was she to tell Elsa that she already thought of them as a married couple without seeming too needy or clingy? How could she convey that the very idea of spending the rest of her life with Elsa her was perhaps the one thought that could provide her endless joy?

It was too late to explain, however, for Elsa's smile slowly faded as Anna struggled for the words. Clearly Anna's face was saying something that her mouth couldn't manage to because it looked like Elsa might have been misting up as she let the hand holding the ring box drop to her lap.

"It's too soon isn't it?" Elsa asked, a single wry laugh escaping her before she cleared her throat and shook off the tears, getting to her feet and shuffling nervously. "I just thought this would be perfect, you know? The season, the trees, the atmosphere, everything. I get it though, and I'll be as patient as I need to be. I just love you so much, I'm sorry I jumped the gun."

"N-no." Anna finally managed, "That's not it at all I just. I feel awful, you set all this up and then I'm over here being a goofball and wanting to play kiddie games. I know this probably isn't what you actually planned at all."

"No." Elsa sighed wistfully, closing the ring box with a quiet thump, "But in a way it was better. I could have just called you from your hiding place and carried on with the original plan, I had plenty of time, but the moment just felt so right. I let my heart get a stranglehold on my brain, that's all. Next time won't be that way, it'll be perfect!"

"Next time? I don't understand, what do you mean next time?"

Anna watched as Elsa made to stuff the ring box back into her pocket and hesitated, "Unless you don't want to get married at all? We don't have to, I guess, I just thought-"

"Els, I never answered you!"

"D...didn't you?"

"I didn't!"Anna paused, taking a deep breath, "Of course I'll marry you, you silly thing!"

For a moment Elsa was in shock, it was plain to see, but it all changed as the realization of what had been said dawned upon her. Elsa's eyes had never been so bright, nor had they ever been so happy and so full of tears as they were in that moment. The words had hit her like a freight train it seemed, for she all but threw herself toward Anna, catching her up in a hug that pinned her arms to her side. But just as quickly Elsa pulled back and held Anna at a distance, looking a little flustered.

"What took you so long to answer? Do you just enjoy torturing me?"

"I mean, not like that! I-" Anna paused, considering what Elsa might think if she were to be honest. But, truthfully what could it hurt? Elsa wanted to marry her, after all. There couldn't be much that Anna could tell her that would ruin that desire could there? "I just kind of already see us like that, you know? We come home and are happy to see one another, both of us are just crazy about one another, we live together...it just feels like we're already there. I guess this whole proposal thing didn't even really occur to me."

Elsa looked a little confused when Anna first began her explanation, but it became clear that Elsa had been feeling something similar, if not the same, as Anna had.

"I thought it was just me." Elsa breathed, clearly relieved to hear that Anna had been feeling the same way, "I've already been with someone else and gotten to this point and for a while I thought it was just my brain wanting to have something more than what I'd already had. Being greedy, I guess you could say. But to hear that you were right there too is just..."

She couldn't finish her sentence it seemed, for instead of trying to she pulled Anna in again for another hug. Today had been a weirdly perfect day.

 **a/n: Hey guys! I know this one is a little short and a lot late, but I hope you still enjoy it. I'll be out at a comic convention for the next few days so the next (and possibly final?) chapter will be delayed. I'll be seriously focusing on my next fic once this one is complete and I hope I'll see some of you enjoying that one as well! Thank you all for your continued support!**


	25. Under Pressure

Chapter Twenty Five: Under Pressure

Elsa let out a haggard sigh as she hunched over the pile of paperwork spread out across the bar at her studio. The place was typically a serene hideaway when she wasn't working, but ever since her proposal it had become little more than a wedding planning base. Day in and day out she spent every spare moment between classes and personal work scouring through countless, and seemingly endless, decisions that had to be made.

Truth be told, when Anna had begun telling her of plans for a big wedding Elsa found herself in a state of shock. Anna certainly didn't seem like the type to want to invite a huge number of people to a giant shindig, but after some days of consideration Elsa found that she couldn't blame her for it. After all, when Elsa had been in her first 'real' relationship she, too, had dreamed big. Now, though, her desires seemed almost simple as she tried to cope with Anna's newly developing capricious nature regarding the wedding plans.

Card stock samples for invitations, fliers for catering companies, not to mention the massive pile of advertisements for custom cake companies and the estimates for everything from the venue to the deejay, it was all very quickly becoming more than Elsa could handle. Though in classic Elsa fashion she would press on through the thick of it though and, somehow, by some miracle, it would all hopefully come together in a way that was pleasing for both of them.

Elsa wondered if she had momentarily become insane when she had said that her own organizational skills would make this a piece of cake. How cocky could she have been offering to take care of nearly all the planning? Especially knowing how quickly Anna could move a particular color or style from 'must have' to 'meh,' Regardless, she was here now and sheer pride was keeping her from admitting that she really did need more of Anna's help than she was getting.

Groaning, Elsa frowned and began sorting through the card stock samples again, hoping that this time she might find something that would fit for their invitations. Truthfully they were all fairly similar to her in style and weight, but their colors, fonts, and textures were vastly different. Warm purples, deep teals, and bright yellows were among a few of the choices Elsa had, and yet none seemed to have a text color that she liked against them, not to mention how hideous some of the fonts themselves were. It was certainly difficult to ignore the terrible design flaws in some of these and look at each aspect individually but she did the best she could.

"Still at it?"

"How did you even get in-" Elsa looked up, running a hand through her bangs to brush them out of her face as she struggled to find words to express her frustration, "You know what, I don't even care at this point. What do you need?"

"Listen, I get that you're stressed out over all this, but you _did_ get yourself into it. Besides, is that any way to talk to your _best man_?"

Esmeralda raised her arms into the air in a glorified request for praise or applause and was clearly amused with herself, but Elsa didn't seem to find her antics nearly as entertaining. "For the last time, you are _not_ a best man."

"Eh, best man, maid of honor, same difference."

"Same diff- I just can't with this today Esme. Really, what is it you need that's so urgent that you can't wait for me to answer your-" Pausing, Elsa roughly shoved some papers around until she managed to locate her phone beneath a particularly unstable stack of deejay information, "-fifteen text messages?"

"Don't be such a grouch!" Esmeralda insisted, only prompting Elsa to begin rubbing at her temples, though whether the action was in exaggeration or seriousness Esmeralda couldn't tell. "Fine, fine. I really just wanted to take you out for lunch."

"I really don't have time to-"

"And that's _exactly_ " Esmeralda carefully pulled Elsa's hands away from her face and gave a gentle tug, sliding her from the bar stool and to her feet with a soft 'thump,' "why you should come to lunch with me. If you stress any harder today you're going to explode and honestly? I don't want to have to clean up the chunks of you when I inevitably take over your studio. For sentimental reasons, obviously."

"Sentimental reasons."

Elsa scoffed, but she found that she couldn't resist the draw of Esmeralda's offer, she had no logical reason not to. Her body wouldn't even allow her to contemplate fighting the guidance away from the pile of stress inducing activity and toward, well, she honestly didn't care what at this point. So long as it wasn't wedding related she couldn't have cared less where they went.

And yet, she still found herself feeling irritated when she ended up in a familiar booth at the front of Sugar Rush ordering her usual chocolate-y mess. "I thought you said we were going for lunch?" she asked once they both had received their order.

"It's all sustenance, besides maybe sugar is exactly what you need."

Elsa opened her mouth as if she were going to argue but decided against it, Esmeralda was treating her to 'lunch' after all. "So you just decided to come by and remove me from my work because you wanted some ice cream and didn't want to go alone?"

Esmeralda looked pensive for a moment, thoughtfully stirring the remnants of what was once a beautiful hot fudge and caramel sundae around in her bowl, "Come on, you know you needed to get out of there just as much as I needed someone to help me not look like a sad, lonely person."

"But you're _not_ sad and lonely and I _am_ quite busy and preoccupied with this wedding planning."

"If you won't let me help, then you should really just _tell_ Anna you need her help you know."

Elsa's eye twitched slightly as Esmeralda knowingly trod right on top of a sensitive topic. She took a moment to gather her thoughts, not wanting to seem as though she had already mentally prepared an argument for just this discussion, but didn't take too long to respond. "I'm fine, Esme, really. I am a master planner, a champion of organization, a-"

"A pinnacle of lying to yourself?"

"I'm not lying to myself." Elsa huffed, spooning a particularly large bite into her mouth to avoid hacing to speak for a while.

"You know, it's my official job now to make sure that you can keep up with all this. And to me it looks like you really could benefit from having a talk with her about helping out. I can't believe she wouldn't want to help plan her own wedding, especially with how particular she seems to be with your decisions."

Elsa stayed quiet, guiltily stuffing another bite into her mouth to give herself time to consider her answer carefully. Anna hadn't really forced Elsa to take everything on alone, Elsa had really just volunteered herself and now that she was struggling she was too proud to admit that she wasn't nearly as skilled at planning such a large event as she thought she would be.

"Els, just tell her already. You guys have done this ridiculous dance where you try not telling one another things since the moment you met."

"And we're getting married so-"

"You're getting married because _eventually_ you always come clean with one another." Esmeralda rolled her eyes as she lifted her dish to her lips to pour the viscous mixture of hot fudge, caramel, and melted ice cream into her mouth. Sighing happily she smirked at Elsa, "No need to thank me for my expert advice, this _is_ what the best man is supposed to do after all isn't it?"

She couldn't help the small tick of her eyebrow raising as Esmeralda quite suddenly had the upper hand. She was right and Elsa knew it, and it certainly wasn't worth attempting to argue a moot point. "Yeah, yeah. You're still picking up the tab."

"Oh come on Elsa, seriously?"

But it was too late, for Elsa had already grabbed her bag and begun leaving Esmeralda behind. She had a lot to think about and Esmeralda was far too nosy to allow that to happen...

~X~

Even weeks later though, Elsa had not yet been able to breach the subject with Anna. It wasn't that she hadn't been trying, no, it was that with each passing day she became more and more nervous that Anna might be upset with her for hiding this for so long. It was ironic, really, that her desire to not upset Anna by letting this drag on for too long was resulting in the prolonging of her confession.

And now, on top of all of her extraneous stressors, she found herself seated across from Anna and between the Greene's. Their home was far more upscale than she could have guessed, from the intricate trim on their baseboards and ceilings to the overly shined silver vases that were strategically placed on what was no doubt the finest marble pillars everything spoke of fineries that Elsa couldn't have ever imagined they might have.

"-and I quite like the idea of getting a singer as opposed to a deejay, they're just so pedestrian and commonplace. What do you think Anna?"

"Elsa's diligently planning a budget for us, why don't you ask her if we can afford that?"

"Oh dear, please, budget? What a dirty word to use when discussing a wedding! You have us and we are happy to help you with anything you can't afford."

Elsa had all but zoned out until her name was mentioned, re-joining the conversation she found her ire being provoked in a way that she hadn't experienced before. She poked a single potato around on her plate and remained tight lipped all the while the discussion was taking place, making a note to address her feelings on the matter of accepting monetary 'gifts' from Anna's parents known later that evening.

"Elsa dear, have you decided on a deejay? Do say you haven't, I just know that a singer would be much better suited to you two. You're both far too good for a deejay."

"I've got a few tentative ideas, but no solid decisions yet."

"Excellent, magnificent! I'll get you her number before we part ways this evening so you can get in touch with her. She is quite magnificent, her voice is so _regal._ Oh, and what about the cake dear? I know Anna gave you plenty of highly regarded bakers but we do know a few who are much more refined in their visual appeal. I assume you ladies would like to _really_ wow your friends?"

Clearing her throat, Elsa looked up at Anna for a split second as though begging her to step in and say something before looking back to her plate in a defeated manner, finally setting her fork down. "I-I'm afraid I haven't settled on anything for the cake either. I don't believe that we have even decided on a design or color scheme yet."

Anna's mother didn't pause for a moment, despite Elsa's clear signs of distress. "Do tell me you have at least decided on the invitations? Or finalized the guest list?Or even decided on a venue?" When Elsa shook her head timidly, though, Mrs. Greene sighed heavily, "I suppose that means not the seating charts either. And when did you two say you were tying the knot?"

Elsa swallowed her pride as best as she could, trying desperately not to seem like she was entirely inept. She shook her head, muttering, "We haven't decided yet." before sinking back into her chair.

"Perhaps I should look into a wedding planner, this seems to be far too much..."

But the words faded away as Elsa felt her chest tighten and push the air right out of her chest. Was it her imagination or was her breathing terribly, terribly loud? It felt difficult to catch her breath, her mind was swimming, swirling with worry and fear that seemed impossible to push back.

"If you'll please excuse me a moment."

Elsa managed to mutter the words before, rather rudely, pushing herself back from the table and dropping her cloth napkin next to her plate as she barreled down a hall and as far from the table as she could manage to get before leaning against a wall and all but breaking down. Tears burned at her eyes as she tried to steady her breaths, but without warning they had broken the dam and began falling as they hadn't in quite some time.

The stress, the thought of being a disappointment to Anna and her friends, the reality of being a disappointment to Anna's parents, it had all culminated in this moment of unprecedented and frightening weakness. Elsa was used to pressure, time crunches fueled her art at times and yet here she was, alone and crying in an unfamiliar hallway in an unfamiliar home. All because she hadn't had the sense to tell Anna not just that she needed her input, but that she _wanted_ to plan this all together. Anything Anna wanted, just as long as they were together to make the decisions.

Elsa sobbed as quietly as she could, her fingertips gently rubbing against the wall behind her as she stood there attempting to calm herself. Anna's mother hadn't been wrong to ask those questions, after all Elsa had had weeks to plan and she'd basically done nothing. Oddly enough Anna didn't seem to have asked anything about it during that time, Elsa didn't doubt that Anna was just under the assumption that she had everything under control and yet that assumption had gotten them here. With Anna blissfully unaware of how heavy the burden Elsa had taken on had become and Elsa all the more broken and concerned at her lack of ability to just come out with the truth.

"There you are Els, we thought you'd gotten lost and-" Anna paused, looking Elsa up and down as Elsa quickly pushed herself from the wall and turned away, frantically wiping tears away before Anna could see, "Els are you...are you crying?"

XXXXXXXX

Although quite impatient for an answer Anna waited as patiently as she could. Elsa was clearly wiping _something_ off of her face, and logic dictated that the only thing it could be was tears. But why cry now? They were having a nice dinner and talking about the impending wedding, all topics to be happy about!

"Listen if mom went over the line you'll have to forgive her, she's a little-"

"Your mom was fine."

Elsa's tone was clearly shaky, and Anna was certain that she heard a quiet sniffle before Elsa turned to face her. Her arms were crossed and her nose was pink, her eyes bloodshot, all clearly betraying Elsa as she tried to avoid the subject. "You didn't answer me, were you crying just now?"

"Of course not, what could there be for me to cry about?"

Her words were sharp now, and the slight tremor in the tones had all but gone. Something was wrong, but Anna was having trouble piecing together exactly what it was. Anna had no desire to have what could become an argument within earshot of her parents, so she, with some difficulty, took Elsa's hand and led her further down the hall and into a spare room.

"Come on, come clean."

"Nothing is wrong."

Elsa scoffed again, telling Anna just about all she needed to know. By now Anna could identify all the little signs, the way Elsa's eyebrows came together in frustration, the way her arms crossed defensively over her chest, even the gentle shaking of her leg as she tried to come up with something to say...Elsa was overwhelmed and unwilling to say a word about it. Anna, however, knew better than to think that she had lasted all this time with Elsa without picking up a few skills that might help her wheedle the truth out of Elsa.

To begin her little dance, Anna would start small. Address the most recent event, the one that seemed to have triggered this strange wave of tears and odd behavior.

"Oh, well okay then. So, you were saying you hadn't made any concrete decisions yet on things huh?" Anna paused, taking a moment to assess Elsa's reaction. The gentle rocking of her leg ceased and she tightened her arms over her chest a little more. Step two, begin pushing Elsa ever so gently toward making a decision on something related to the wedding. "Well, that's okay. We've got time, we haven't even decided on a date yet. How about we do that now?"

Anna pulled out her phone and displayed the screen so that they could both see the calendar, but Elsa wasn't looking at it. She was trying desperately to fight back tears, and though Anna could tell that her plan seemed to be leading them toward a resolution, she couldn't delay the inevitable any longer with this little game, she had to come right out and ask, then pray that Elsa would go along with it. Her heart ached as she asked, "Els, is this too much for you? Or...or are you having second thoughts?"

"I still want to marry you!" The icy demeanor that Elsa had thrown up between them came crumbling down in an instant, it seemed the suddenness of her questions had snapped Elsa back into reality. "Of course I do, how could you even think- I love you, Anna, I want to be with you."

"Then why were you crying in the hall? Something is up and we both know it."

"I just..."

Elsa looked to her feet, then to the nearby desk, anywhere but at Anna. Anna gingerly reached out for her, but thought better of it for the moment. "You know, if you're stressed about the planning you can let me help."

Anna was surprised to see Elsa look up so quickly, meeting her eyes with a look of...was that determination or anger? It was difficult to tell, but Anna wasn't sure what it meant. She knew that Elsa had happily said she would do it all, but she also knew just how much there was to plan and arrange. It was no simple task, and with her parents frequently insisting on more aspects, not to mention more complicated aspects, to add to the wedding Anna could see how things could easily become too much for any one person to handle. Even if that one person was her wonderful, incredibly skilled Elsa.

"It" Elsa began tentatively, looking away again as if it would keep Anna from knowing what was really going on, "may be a little more work that I originally anticipated. But it's nothing I can't handle. Given enough time."

"Listen, can I um, can I tell you something?" When Elsa nodded, Anna sighed and rubbed the back of her head, "So, this whole big wedding thing. I get it if we can't...if we don't, you know. I'll be okay. Honestly I just thought it would be really important to _you_ and-"

"What?" Elsa laughed, the sound of her voice edging on incredulous, "When did I ever give you that impression?"

"Well it wasn't you really, so much as mom and dad. They said your parents thought you might have a big wedding one day and I guess they just _assumed_."

For a moment it was silent, only the sound of the gently blowing air conditioner breaking the lack of sound, and even that was hardly distracting enough to take away from the tension in the room. Anna heard a gentle, but louder than usual, exhale from Elsa, who then mysteriously chuckled. She was smiling, but not necessarily in a way that would make Anna think she might be pleased to hear that.

"I think your parents may have gotten the wrong idea about me, Anna. I don't need any of this, but if it's what you want then I want you to have it all. Everything, anything, just..." Elsa sighed heavily, as if the words she were about to speak might physically hurt her, "As much as I want to say that I _can_ , it turns out that I _can't_ do it alone. Would it be terrible of me to ask for your help now that I'm already in over my head?"

The admission wasn't a surprising one, Anna had wondered when Elsa had volunteered to do it all just _how_ she would manage to get it all done. There was a note of disappointment in Elsa's voice as she had said it though, as though she had somehow thought she could handle everything, but in that moment the truth hit Anna square in the chest. Of course Elsa thought she could handle it on her own, she had been doing things on her own for years. There was no other way for her to do things.

Despite having Anna in her life now she still always did what she could alone, even if it meant taking on more than she could, or should, be handling to keep their little household running smoothly. Even now as their wedding loomed ahead Elsa was selfless enough to not argue for a simpler wedding in lieu of this ever growing monstrosity that Anna's parents were constantly adding to.

It was Anna's turn to tear up, and she did so in spite of her best efforts to keep the tears at bay. "Els, can we just go somewhere and get this done? Just you and me?"

The words were out of her mouth without hesitation, without reservations. This wedding planning had gotten so out of control, so horribly twisted, that Elsa had broken down in tears due to the stress of it all. And knowing what she knew now, Anna truly had no reason to keep trying for some big event. Elsa seemed to want something smaller, and in her heart Anna knew that she didn't need anything but Elsa.

"Anna..." Elsa was tentative, but there was an unmistakable note of happiness in her voice as well. "Anna I appreciate the notion, but we can't do that to our friends. They expect to see us get married..."

Anna wracked her brain for a solution that would be pleasurable for all parties, but no matter the arrangement it seemed that someone might be upset or inconvenienced by the sudden change in plans. The fact that they hadn't yet made solid plans anywhere was the only saving grace. And with that in mind, Anna grinned "Then how about we cut down on the guest list for the actual wedding? Just have the really important people attend the ceremony with us, then the reception can be larger where we see everyone else?"

"Wouldn't that seem a little greedy?" Elsa said with a wince, "You know, 'oh we only think these people are important enough to see the ceremony but everyone else come and bring gifts?'"

A snort escaped Anna before she could cover it, followed by a few small laughs. "You're right, you're right...we'll think of something, Els. Just don't stress yourself so much over it. I know I don't seem like it, but when I need to I can be _very_ organized."

"Anna darling, what's going on? We thought you two might have unexpectedly been called away by how long you had been gone."

The sudden, not to mention eerily silent, appearance of Anna's mother in the doorway brought small smiles to both women's lips. The peal of laughter soon filled the room and echoed down the halls, leaving Anna's mother more than a little confused, but still smiling all the same. In that split instant it seemed that all would be well, even if they hadn't quite figured things out yet.

XXXXXXXX

The day had finally come, after much planning, and a little frustrated fighting, the pair had settled on every detail of a wedding somewhere between the smaller one they wanted and the massive one the Greene's were hoping to host. Despite numerous protests she had been wrangled into wearing a suit, and also coaxed into allowing Anna's attire to be a complete and utter surprise. With shaky fingers and less stable hands Elsa worked at fastening the center button of her suit jacket while Esmeralda paced behind her, already fully dressed.

"If you take any longer on that one button we'll be late for your wedding."

The jape was well deserved, Elsa had been staring at herself in the mirror for such a long time that she no longer knew how long she had been there, or how long she had until she needed to go and stand in front of all of their collective family and friends and profess her love for Anna for all of them to see.

"Ha ha." Elsa rolled her eyes as dramatically as she could manage, but made no effort to hurry her movements.

Truthfully she was nervous, more so than she had ever been in her entire life. Despite that, the reflection of herself that stared back at her looked quite stone-faced and unfazed. It was ironic that she could look so calm and serene externally when her mind raced with worries. What if she tripped on the way down the aisle in front of all those people? What if she had tied her tie incorrectly and hadn't noticed it until they developed photos? And the biggest worry of all, what if Anna changed her mind and left Elsa at the altar? It wouldn't ever happen, not in a million years. Elsa knew that in her mind, but that little worry still lingered. As impossible as it seemed, the chance, however minuscule, was always present.

"Do I look alright?"

Elsa's words wavered, betraying her vulnerability to Esmeralda. She waited, expecting some jab at her unnecessary insecurity, some salt sprinkled into the wound of her clear worry regarding the coming nuptials, but none came. In it's place, Esmeralda stepped right in front of Elsa, the corners of her lips drawn back in some gesture that Elsa couldn't place at first. Then the tears became visible in her eyes and it was clear, Esmeralda was proud of her. _Proud_.

Sniffling, Esmeralda tucked a few too-long strands of Elsa's bangs behind her ears, "Perfect."

"Stop it." Elsa managed, despite feeling her throat tighten as tears threatened to build up in her eyes, "You're going to make me ruin my makeup and then we really _will_ be late."

"You're right, you're right. I just feel like a mother bird letting her little baby out into the world."

"You do realize that you didn't birth me, right?"

"Just let me have this!" Esmeralda insisted, seeming to stop herself from hugging Elsa, instead focusing her energy on straightening Elsa's tie and smoothing the shoulders of her jacket.

The pair nervously linked arms as they neared the makeshift zippered door of the tent and stepped out into the sun. The sky was deeply blue today, though it was seen in only patches through moderate cloud cover. Elsa noticed every detail as she tried not to focus on the rising nervousness that threatened to make her physically ill. It was a typical scene, a makeshift archway decorated with beautiful flowers set before neatly arranged rows of chairs split right up the middle. There weren't more than a few short rows on either side of the gap, Anna had been selective with her family, and both women had only invited their closest friends.

Elsa recalled planning their procession and the order in which they would walk up this seemingly endless gap, remembering when Anna had absentmindedly mentioned having someone walk each of them up the aisle without thinking. The apologies had been profuse, but Esmeralda had rushed to the rescue, volunteering to be by Elsa's side. She had protested at first, but in this moment she couldn't be more thankful to have her very best friend by her side to be sure that she didn't freeze.

"Smile."

Esmeralda's voice felt strangely far away, Elsa thought, and though the collection of friends and family was at a distance they felt overwhelmingly close. Her suit felt too hot and her tie felt too tight, her shoes weren't quite right, and though she was trying to smile she couldn't tell if she had managed to do so or not. Elsa was certain that she would die right here on this spot if something didn't break the odd semi-silence.

The time passed painfully slow as music began playing through a complex system of speakers behind her. Something must have been wrong, music shouldn't have started until Anna was within sight. Anna should have been here by now, Elsa thought anxiously, wondering just what could be slowing the day down.

"Don't you dare start second guessing things." Esmeralda quietly said, despite her smile her tone was quite serious, "Be patient, I'm sure her zipper just got stuck. You know Anna is the most clumsy person we know."

Clumsy, yes. That had to be it. Something happened with Anna's wardrobe no doubt, and that was the likely culprit of the time delay. Elsa's feigned, nervous smile morphed into a genuine one was she tried to stifle a laugh at Esmeralda's commentary.

"You're right, I know. It's just hard with all these people expectantly staring at us."

"I supposed worst case scenario we could just get married?"

"Oh hush." Elsa chided, still smiling all the while, "You said so yourself, Anna probably is having some kind of wardrobe issue."

But the seconds dragged on into minutes and Elsa began to lose her ability to even feign a smile. She couldn't very well look glum on her wedding day, but the length of time was too great. Something had to be wrong, there was no reason for such a lengthy delay. Yet just as Elsa was on the verge of retreating down the aisle in shame the familiar notes of the bridal march had begun to play from behind her.

And there Anna stood, arm in arm with her father at the end of the chairs. She was a vision, and though Elsa had protested either of them wearing dresses she found herself quite smitten by the way Anna looked today. Perfection was the only word for it. Her hair had been done with a single braid going across her forehead, leaving her bangs loose, and the remainder of her hair was pulled into a fat bun at the back. Her cheeks were rosy, no doubt from added makeup, and her dress...there were almost no words.

Ivory wouldn't have been the color Elsa might have chosen for Anna, but it looked wonderful all the same, and the fiery contrast of her hair made it all the more attractive. The fabric hugged her curves in all the right places, as though the dress had been tailored to her very body, but there was not any additional flash or trim to detract from the beauty of the wearer. It was nothing short of gorgeous, but Anna easily outshone the dress itself.

But something was wrong. Anna and her father stood at the end of the rows for too long, much too long. Elsa could feel the weight of her anxiety building in her chest to an almost oppressive level as the crowd began to whisper. Though she couldn't hear their words above the sound of the wedding march carrying on jovially, almost proudly behind her, Elsa imagined what they might be saying. She could only imagine that her expression was growing more and more desperate by the second as she stared hard at Anna, who looked equally unnerved next to her clearly displeased father.

Elsa glanced over at Snow, who had joined them up at the front as Anna's maid of honor, shrugged her shoulders quite obviously. Esmeralda looked more annoyed than anything, but Elsa was on the verge of losing the tiny sliver that remained of her calm demeanor. Whatever this was, this thing holding Anna back, it was clear that she hadn't voiced it to her father, and certainly not to Elsa who was losing faith faster than she cared to admit.

It couldn't have been more than a minute, but the time that had passed felt like an eternity. Then, Anna's face hardened in determination and she took the first step forward. Some of the crowd could be heard sniffling as they watched her walk past, clearly pleased that she had finally gotten up the pluck to take her first steps. Elsa breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly thankful for the volume of the music that easily overpowered the sound. Anna's father released her arm and resisted the urge to hug his daughter as he let her take her place across from Elsa.

"A little cliché, don't you think?" Elsa whispered, trying to lighten the mood, "A bride trying to get cold feet moments before the ceremony?"

Anna smiled, a nervous laugh crossed her lips and her cheeks reddened slightly. "You're just so beautiful, I was too stunned to move."

Suddenly Elsa was quite thankful that they had chosen to do away with the tradition of veils. If anything could have prevented her from seeing the flush of Anna's cheeks today she might have removed the it herself right away, no matter how inappropriate it might have been.

"Friends, family, we have gathered you all here today to witness the union of two remarkable young women. Though not all the world will look upon them favorably, may they find strength in those that are here to support them and-"

The rest of the words blurred together as Elsa began to hear her heartbeat in her chest. She knew the moment of the 'I do's' was approaching swiftly and something within her was ready to skip all the nonsense ahead of it and get right down to business. But, social demands spoke more loudly than her internal desire and she remained silent, smiling brightly at Anna as she waited for her cue.

"-Elsa has requested a moment to say something to her bride."

"Anna." Elsa spoke a little more loudly than she anticipated in her excitement, but quickly tempered her volume before taking Anna's hand. "Anna, my love. It would have been enough to simply whisk you away and elope, but here we stand before all of these people. Our friends, your family...I can't imagine doing this any other way. I ask only that when the weight of the world around you becomes too much for you to bear that you allow me to take on some of the burden, that when the path you are on seems hazy and confusing to let me help guide you, and that you never, never lose faith in yourself. If you do, I promise to always be here to remind you just how truly special you are."

Elsa could hear some quiet sobs in the crowd, but Anna's lips had tightened as though she were holding back tears. "Els, I'm not as _eloquent_ as you. I don't have that amazing ability to just say what is right there in my heart in front of all these people, but I can say that I love you. My whole heart loves you, more than any words could ever say."

"I suppose this goes without saying, but do you, Elsa, take this woman to be your beloved wife? To care for in sickness, to support through difficult times, and to love through all of the good and the bad?"

"Of course I do." Elsa said, attempting to make her voice strong despite the incredible vulnerability the question brought out inside of her.

"And do you, Anna Greene, take Elsa to be your beloved wife? To help her spread her wings when she feels she cannot fly, to breathe positivity into her when she cannot summon it herself, and to love through all of the good times and the bad?"

Silence, for a moment, then a shaky, "I do."

The words to follow were drowned out by a rush of pure adoration as Elsa scooped Anna up into her arms, only hesitating for a moment before pressing her lips to Anna's. The notion of rings was left behind in the heat of the moment. Somehow, this kiss was more powerful than the first, despite being more chaste and in front of so many people.

When they parted all senses returned to Elsa, the sound of whistles and cheers, applause and party poppers being set off. But all she could see was the teal of Anna's tear filled eyes, the flush on her freckled cheeks, the heat of Anna's skin beneath her hands, and from that moment nothing else in the world seemed to matter so much as the feeling of knowing that she was Anna's, and that Anna was hers.

 **a/n: This chapter has literally haunted my dreams. I am so sorry it has taken so long to get this up, but I wanted to make sure it was what I wanted. This one was difficult to end, I had so many ideas that could have let it go on longer, but I feel it is right to stop here. I hope you all have enjoyed this one, I am nearly finished with my outline of the next story and once I have a few chapters prepared I'll start posting! See you all soon.**


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